


Heard you like bad boys.

by rize_drew



Category: Attack on Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin, eruri - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Band Guy Levi, Bandguy Levi Ackerman, Disaster Erwin, I swear this was gonna be short but I got carried away, Lawyer Erwin Smith, M/M, Masturbation, Modern AU, Multi, Mutual Pining, Non-binary character, Office AU, Officemates AU, Poutwin, References of past abusive relationship, References of sexual activities, Rimming, Smut, This will have three parts, bathroom blowjobs, club, rock shows
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:34:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 29,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26355799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rize_drew/pseuds/rize_drew
Summary: Erwin Smith hopelessly falls in love with Levi Ackerman, a new employee at his office. Erwin's doing everything he can to befriend Levi  but he failed on his first attempt via Facebook. Now it seems like Levi hates his guts.- alternatively -Erwin Smith being bad at technology and being the bisexual disaster that he is while Levi Ackerman does everything that makes Erwin overthink.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith, Nanaba/Mike Zacharias
Comments: 13
Kudos: 43





	1. Heard you like bad boys.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first ever fic, a one-shot. But this will have at least three parts. So sorry if there are any grammatical errors.
> 
> I've always had this idea of Office Eruris but at the same time, band guy Levi so this AU is kinda a mixture of an Alternate Universe. I promise this will have a happy ending even though the fic gets emotional in the end.
> 
> I hope you like it!

“Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Ohmygosh! Mike, did you see him?!” Erwin excitedly rushed over his friend’s office, adjacent to his own, just a few moments after he caught a glimpse of his crush walking down the cramped hallway.

“Daddy!” Erwin squealed.

“Erwin, for the last fucking time, get your shit together. Don’t call him daddy because you haven’t even asked him out! Hell, you guys haven’t even talked in the two weeks he’d been here.” Mike quietly scolded.

“But-“

“Erwin, get out.” Mike’s tone was not serious but Erwin understood that his best friend is just not in the mood to hear him freak out over his crush.

He can’t blame Mike. Erwin knew he had been talking way too much about Levi and he gives Mike credit for tolerating his hopeless infatuation.

It all started since the first time he saw this petite, raven-haired guy at their company’s back-to-work meeting after New Year’s Day. A fresh start of the year when their company’s directive of reshuffling some key persons in branches all over the country took effect.

Erwin saw two new faces at their office branch that day - fellow key persons of office divisions he might have heard about, and people with names he might have read as written in official company documents but never saw in person.

There was Hange Zoë , Head Laboratory Consultant, and Levi Ackerman, Senior Researcher. Two new people with remarkable office ranks, though below Erwin’s Head Legal Officer Position. But the disparity in rank did not, in any way, faze Erwin - despite being a company lawyer, Erwin got on well with everyone.

A blooming curiosity then consumed him upon shaking hands with Levi Ackerman.

He can still remember clearly how Levi’s voice was warm and low when he addressed Erwin.

 _“It’s nice to meet you, Attorney Smith.”_ Erwin froze at the greyish-blue eyes meeting his gaze.

 _“Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Levi Ackerman. Please call me Erwin.”_ He managed to give the smaller man a smile which was reciprocated with a rehearsed upwards curve of his heart-shaped lips.

Erwin’s heart fluttered loudly at that first interaction and, for the first time, he was thankful for the reshuffling of employees even when his good friends Nile Dawk and Flagon Darlett were one of the many who had to leave New York with their family and relocate in LA. In some ways, the relocation didn’t seem so bad. Well, for him.

Mike broke out into a small lecture to Erwin about how he should just grow some balls and ask Levi out, to which Erwin rolled his eyes at and muttered a defeated _fine_ to shut Mike up, walking himself out of his best friend’s office, as his eyes longingly trailed to the door at the end of the hallway, the very door leading to the man always clad in black yet has the face of an angel, just a few strides away from his own.

He agrees with Mike, figured it can’t be that hard to just walk up to Levi and ask him out. If he says yes, great. But Erwin knows deep down that if he says no, it’ll crush him for sure. His dating life is not as adventurous as other people, he has dated but never much, and rarely admits being attracted to other people, let alone an officemate, but when he does he knows the yearning is deeper than physical attraction. He’s not even sure if he wants to date Levi, but he knows he wants to be his friend so badly. Besides, Erwin has another doubt about pursuing Levi anyway.

Since day one, even when his attraction to the raven-haired was apparent, he always assumed that Levi possibly has some kind of attachment with the other employee that was relocated with him.

His deep thoughts were interrupted when Hange Zoë - the root of his doubtful thoughts - emerged from their office door, adjacent to Levi’s. They wore their hair in a ponytail and wore a brown suit which Erwin thought looked good on them.

Maybe he imagined it but their eyeglass gleamed when they saw Erwin at the other side of the hallway, they then gave him a friendly nod before they let themselves in the office of Levi Ackerman, his crush - who is quite possibly in a relationship with Hange who just entered his office without knocking.

Erwin felt his heart break a little and sighed longingly.

“It’s been weeks, dude.” Erwin was startled by the booming voice of his best friend standing behind him. “So I’m sorry I seemed pissed at you. If you really like him that much, ask him out,” his taller friend continued.

He turned to face Mike and shrugged. “I dunno. Don’t you think they seem pretty close with-“

“Hange? No, I don’t think they’re dating your _daddy_ ,” Mike air-quoted the last word of his sentence, stifling a cheeky grin but failing miserably.

“But it’s been two weeks since they got here, Mikey, and they literally are inseparable from one another. This Hange, they’re friends with everyone but he... he only ever hangs out with them. Petra told me they always sat down together at the breakroom,” he explained in an exasperated tone and added, “the only time I’ve heard him talk out loud was when they were introduced to us during that brief meeting and maybe I’ve heard him greet me with good mornings and goodbyes, yet the others say they’ve had a small talk with him already. But I don’t want small talk. I want him to talk to me the way he talks to Hange. Do you think he doesn’t think I’m a nice person? Or that he thinks I’m some asshole company lawyer who is faking it with everyone? I just want to be his friend. How do you make someone like him talk more?”

Mike chuckled. “Geez, Erwin, just want to be his friend? Don’t you wanna get down to business with him?” He threw Erwin a suggestive smirk, to which Erwin replied with another eye-roll, then continued in a hushed tone, “Maybe he’s shy? Or maybe your position is intimidating to him and he’s keeping a professional distance? Or maybe it’s because you never try to initiate a conversation with him? But then again we’ll never know if you just creepily stare at him from the slats of your office blinds...”

“He was passing by and it just happened that I was staring at my office blinds, Mike! I’m not creepy! Besides, you talk to him!” Erwin whined.

“Er, I’m Head of the Regulatory Division and he’s a Senior Researcher. Of course, we have to talk to each other, it’s our fucking job.”

“But I’m a legal officer, he should at least try to talk to me.”

“Dude, we only talk to you if we need a legal basis on something or if we fuck up real bad-“

Their conversation was interrupted when the door from Levi Ackerman’s office opened with a slow creaking sound, the man himself in a sleek black business casual suit stepping one foot out of his door, and looking at their direction as if he heard Erwin whining.

“Good morning, Ackerman!” Mike greeted Levi cheerfully, to which he earned a timid reply of Good Morning before Levi disappeared quickly back to his office.

Erwin didn’t even get to say anything.

“Oh. Did you see that? He hates me. He must think I’m just some asshole lawyer,” Erwin said, as a matter-of-factly, earning laughter from Mike.

“You were just too slow at saying good morning, Erwin. Let it go. Maybe at the welcome party this afternoon you guys would hit it off.” Mike replied as he walked back to his office, leaving a distressed Erwin.

Erwin threw one last longing look at Levi’s door before going back into his office. He spent a good bit of his entire day staring at his office glass window overlooking the city, thinking of Levi. 

Erwin didn’t get to talk with Levi that afternoon. 

_“Just my luck, huh?”_ He bitterly whispered to himself.

Their only interaction was when they both casually shook hands and posed side-by-side for a company picture - to be posted on the company’s official Facebook Page as a way to publicize their recent company reshuffling.

Nothing more unfortunately for Erwin.

But his hope didn’t end there because when he opened his Facebook account later that night, there was already a Facebook Tag notification of his photo with Levi.

Their picture was already posted, and Levi already took the liberty to send him a friend request.

Erwin felt his heart flutter with joy, and like a reflex, he immediately rang his best friend in the dead of the night.

“You better be in a life or death situation or my wife’s gonna murder me for picking up calls this late,” Mike’s voice was hushed on the other line.

“I just need a minute to let you know he added me on Facebook. Bye.” Erwin told him to which Mike only replied with a chuckle as Erwin ended the call.

That Friday night, Erwin fell down the Facebook rabbit hole, specifically, the rabbit hole containing Levi’s very public Facebook account.

He indulged himself in the photos of the raven-haired man, in various poses and settings - dressed up so well you would think he’s some sort of an A-list celebrity - jet-black hair neatly styled bringing out his fair complexion, small nose, heart-shaped pink lips that look so good on him when they’re curved up just right, eyes in this greyish-blue hue, which appear almost devilish in some angles.

Erwin realized Levi Ackerman is a well-liked person despite his persona at the office.

The raven-haired may have the aura of someone who would crush you if you dared to say something to him but Erwin saw how a handful of people liked him for it anyway.

Erwin enjoyed the idea yet, at the same time, he can’t help but feel insecure.

Out of all these people who obviously have an interest in Levi, Erwin wondered, does Levi like anyone back? Erwin found himself giving up on the nightmarish thought and scrolling down Levi’s profile anyway.

 _It doesn’t matter,_ Erwin assured himself.

The petite man had photos of himself in public places, clubs, a crowd always around him, partying. Completely unexpected from someone like Levi if one met him only as an office worker.

It felt surreal seeing Levi’s online persona yet Erwin thanked the gods anyway as he indulged himself in photos of Levi.

Erwin’s favorite picture of his by far is one where Levi was on a stage, wearing a leather jacket, holding a guitar and standing behind a microphone, his bangs were sticking to his forehead, obviously from sweating and Erwin thought it was hot, of course.

He presumed it was because of the stage lights on Levi, a bright spotlight shining on him, which all the more accentuated Levi’s pale complexion. Under the leather jacket though, Erwin cannot help but notice, in a non-perverted way, Levi’s V-neck shirt dipping sinfully low on his chest, revealing tattoos on his delicate skin. Erwin entertains the thought that Levi is inked all over his petite body and he can’t help but feel more butterflies on his stomach if that was even possible.

Levi _Fucking_ Ackerman plays in a band and has tattoos. Erwin felt his face getting hot at the thought.

From there he saw where Mike was coming from. Motivation hit him. He knows he’s now more certain than ever that he’d do anything just to make the raven-haired, leather jacket-clad, inked Rockstar notice him.

He made peace with himself as he continuously scrolled through Levi’s profile - he wants to walk up to the man and get to know him, to be close with him, maybe as a friend or whatever position is available which would enable him to card through his luscious hair, caress his pretty, little face, hold him in his arms, feel his soft pink lips - that he should just get it on and initiate a conversation with Levi, see where it goes, as Mike had told him for countless of times already.

Maybe then his hopeful thinking of being close to Levi would turn into reality... or not. Because, of course, the world is not perfect for Erwin and sometimes things don’t go the way he wants it to be.

Erwin was caught in a trance of his deep thoughts that it took him some time to realize he accidentally liked a picture of Levi from the 25th of December, 2017.

He froze out of pure panic.

“Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.” Erwin chanted, his panicked voice echoing all throughout his penthouse apartment.

 _“It can’t be that bad, Erwin. It’s not that bad,”_ he reassured his panic-stricken mind, composed himself, and tried to channel his lawyer brain. The one who approaches problems with a calm demeanor and rational solutions.

Before he could resolve the issue, he got distracted by the very root of it, the picture he accidentally liked - it was of Levi wearing what Erwin can only describe as a black round-neck band tee-shirt, the print on it spelled out Arctic Monkeys, with its sleeves haphazardly cut to fashion a sleeveless shirt, displaying Levi’s ink, half-sleeve on either arm. Levi had a mischievous smirk on his face, both wrists decorated with a variety of bracelets, his right hand holding a bottle of craft beer, while with his left hand he depicted a tugging motion on the neck of his shirt as if playfully pulling his clothes down to reveal a broken black heart tattooed just below his left collarbone.

It was captioned: _I just need one bad boy to have one good weekend._

Erwin seemed to have forgotten his problem now. Instead he hyper focused on the photo, it had 500 likes and countless comments from people Erwin doesn’t recognize, some greeting him a happy holiday while others greeted him a happy birthday.

He lingered on a comment from Hange Zoë, Hange all but said: _bad boys are overrated, hun, you need to look for a MAN who can make your entire life feel like one GREAT weekend xoxo_

Erwin even considers liking Hange’s comment if he wasn’t in deep shit already.

To him, liking an old comment is not as bad as liking an old Facebook post of his crush. Although liking an old post also wouldn’t have been too bad if there was no green dot beside their name - said green dot which indicates their active online status as of the moment. If that were the case, he can just unlike the post and pretend it never happened.

But since Erwin is Erwin, and his luck just happens to be the best out of everyone, he couldn’t secretly unlike it because Levi Ackerman’s name had a green dot beside it.

If he chooses to undo his action, it would be too late, and would only raise suspicion because chances are, Levi already saw the notification bearing his name.

**_Erwin Smith liked your photo from December 25, 2017._ **

It took a lot out of him to decide to leave it as it is because he finds it somewhat rational to let it be, nothing can be undone anyway.

 _“Just swallow the shame, Erwin,”_ he told himself.

Erwin admits that he feels a mixture of happiness, embarrassment, and frustration: happy because he confirmed that Hange is just friends with his crush; embarrassed because he liked an old picture of his crush; and, lastly, frustration because he just found out Levi likes bad boys.

Retreating before he goes in too deep, Erwin called it a night, though one thought was consuming him at the back of his mind. Levi likes bad boys. And Erwin? Well, he may be what everyone sees as a monster when it comes to corporate law, hell, he can even describe himself as a lot of things at once, but he never saw himself as a bad boy.

Erwin knows deep down, he is anything but a bad boy. But, because he’s Erwin, Levi - his crush - happens to only like bad boys.

It doesn’t bother him. Erwin convinced himself: what he found out about Levi Ackerman doesn’t bother him.

He’d still push through with his plan to befriend Levi.

He liked to think he’s an exception to the rule. Yes, he can still be a friend to Levi though he has to give up on possibly dating him. Indeed it is unfortunate he is not a bad boy but he can still establish a good friendship with Levi. But Levi might also have started seeing him as a creep because of the Facebook incident.

Erwin even expected Levi to storm into his office at the start of the week and confront him about it. But come Monday, Levi still greeted him politely when they passed by each other. Though Erwin can’t help but point out, Levi no longer looks at him to accompany his niceties with a smile.

Apparently, what Erwin did is no big deal to Levi. If it were he’d have confronted him already. But nothing happened. He convinced himself that he’s in still waters now, that he can finally initiate a friendship without any fuss.

Although Erwin knows he’s lying to himself if he says it doesn’t bother him in the least bit at all. _Does Levi not care about him?_ Erwin found himself at a loss in conjuring up rational thoughts that don’t include self-deprecation.

The thought occupied him for the entire week but it didn’t stop him from trying to come up with a foolproof plan.

He put off the commencement of his _befriending Levi_ plan though not because he’s giving up, he just wanted to finalize his game plan, to complete a flowchart of the steps leading to a friendship with dear Levi. He convinced himself once again.

And Erwin knows his reason is partly true.

He wants to do the best method to initiate a friendship, yes. But some part of him, he admits, still cannot shake off the budding insecurity about himself now, ever since the Facebook incident - him liking an old picture of Levi.

He willed himself to be bothered only a little at his action if he cannot shake the thought altogether.

What do he and Levi have in common anyway?

Erwin found himself hyper fixated on the fact that, underneath the exterior of an established corporate lawyer, there is just a lonesome nerd. Not in any way a bad boy.

Sure he may seem like he doesn’t feel a lot, has a lot of friends (though having only two closest friends), a supportive father, a promising career, enough money to live off with, and all the past times he could ever ask for. But that’s the extent of what he could offer once he gets to know Levi.

Will Levi hang out with him if he finds out that the activities Erwin indulge in outside work - reading, writing poetry and short stories, playing piano, binging on anime, TV shows, and movies, spending money on merchandise of his favorite shows, movies, and books, and, hell, even pulling all-nighters for his favorite videogames. None of these activities scream bad boy, Erwin knows that for a fact.

He can’t even stand going to bars and clubs if Mike and Nana were not around because he feels too uncomfortable if he’s in a crowd for way too long.

And his idea of having a good time is drinking some beers, ordering pizza, and kicking back to watch a movie, finish a puzzle or play Dungeons and Dragons.

Erwin doesn’t like to club hop, go to raves, or socialize with an intoxicated crowd.

And the only thing he has in common with some “bad boys” is the fact that he regularly goes to the gym to maintain his body on the lean side, and even that is not actually just a bad boy thing. It’s also not by his own volition because his genetics dictate a handful of diseases he might suffer from if he doesn’t take care of what he does and puts on his body.

Erwin doesn’t work out because he desires to look ripped, he works out because this was prescribed to him by their family doctor.

The thought makes him feel even more dejected. Erwin feels hopeless. He feels like calling his dad again - he already asked his dad about what to do with Levi and he had the same answer as Mike - to ask for advice about Levi but he didn’t want to give the new information he found because it could possibly make his kind father think his only son is deciding to go batshit crazy just to be noticed by a hot guy.

Erwin knows he was raised to know better than that.

“Er, I still don’t really get this whole fuss about Facebook. But geez it’s been one week. If he didn’t tell you off about it then it’s probably nothing new to him,” Erwin felt his mood go down at Mike’s words.

 _It’s probably nothing new to him._ The thought makes Erwin want to puke because if that were the case, then Erwin is not the first and only person who yearned so hard for Levi.

“You know I only use Reddit,” Mike whined now, holding Erwin’s phone once again in an attempt to find something by scrolling through Levi’s Facebook Timeline - obviously trying to decipher what he’s supposed to point out for his hopeless romantic friend.

“I told you, I liked an old post of him. It was like in 2017. So I’m basically creepy as hell for liking his old post. That sort of thing must bother him. It bothers some people.” Erwin tried to explain nonchalantly, tried seeming like he’s focusing on his crunches as Mike assisted him. But as Erwin’s long-time best friend, Mike can obviously see through the bluff.

“Maybe you just want it to bother him when it obviously doesn’t.” Mike sighed in frustration and scrolled through again to see the implication behind it but gave up anyway.

Erwin did nothing but raise his eyebrows. Carrying on with his crunches, face all red, huffing, and grunting from exertion. Mike rolled his eyes at his love-struck best friend.

Maybe Mike is right, Erwin thought to himself, he got through a week without acting on his plan to befriend Levi. He had some usual interactions with the raven-haired but nothing else. The man seems to not have noticed what Erwin did, or he pretended not to know. Though Erwin’s not sure which of the following reasons he preferred.

It’s true that it bothers him a little but he also knows he should not look too much into it.

Nana even told him maybe Levi was just used to people liking his old posts, and it made sense if he thought that way. But Erwin can’t help it, he still feels weird about the idea.

He even expected Levi to confront him that was why Erwin opened the topic again come Saturday morning, a week after the whole incident when he and his best friend decided to have an early morning session at the gym together.

Erwin said that he wanted some time to relax which Mike agreed with. Little did the latter know that Erwin’s relaxing session will still include Levi Ackerman.

“Er. It’s been a week. If he didn’t confront ya about it, drop it.” Erwin can sense that Mike wants to be mad now but his best friend knows him all too well.

Mike knows he simply cannot expect Erwin to get what he means. Erwin is a smart man. Hell, he’s a fucking genius. But on top of that, he’s a late-bloomer and a bit of a dumbass when it comes to intimate relationships, Erwin doesn’t have one damn clue about what to do when it comes to stuff like this.

Mike recalled how Erwin seriously dated this one person which lasted for a year until the woman decided to marry one of their mutual friends. She always said that Erwin was just too much for her. Too emotional but at the same time, _Erwin doesn’t have a proper grasp on normal human feelings._

“ _He loved intensely.”_

Mike remembered her exact words and he can even still remember how he went off at her after hearing that remark about his best friend. He defended Erwin but Erwin seemed to understand his ex, he knew that not all people appreciate the way he expresses himself.

Erwin wholeheartedly accepted that even though it ruined the way he saw romance. That was the very reason why Erwin seldom allowed himself to fall in love with someone because he knew he’d get really, really hurt. Yes, Erwin tried meeting new people but he never let his guard down. He was always the one who loved too much and so he tried to protect himself - he swore he’d only invest himself in someone if that someone loved him back equally.

Even after that bad breakup though, Mike watched his best friend bravely try to get back to dating after that rollercoaster relationship but his endeavors never prospered, as one may put it.

His best friend is just looking for something beyond physical attraction and superficial reasons, so Mike and Nana understood.

They all knew that Erwin wanted something that stuck, so Mike didn’t skimp on his obvious motivational speeches to Erwin to just ask Levi out already. Levi seemed different and since Mike had had quite some interactions with the guy, he could tell outright that Levi is a sensitive person, another level of wholesome who might appreciate Erwin.

And to Mike, it was new to hear Erwin admit out loud that he has a crush. Erwin may be bad at expressing his romantic feelings but he’s way too romantic for his own good. He’s the type of guy who gives everything without expecting anything in return. Mike can attest to that, remembering the countless nights Erwin called him to cry because another date didn’t go so well. His best friend stopped trying to date for some time now, too, giving up on the thought of finding a companion who would appreciate him. Erwin lost the look of hope for romance in him. It worried not just his dad but him and Nana, too. It was not until the start of the New Year when Mike saw that look on his face again - that sparkle which bore hope and innocent longing - as Erwin shook Levi’s hand, and Erwin, oblivious as he was, never noticed that right after that simple interaction with Levi, the raven-haired man couldn’t take his eyes off Erwin.

_“Your friend seems nice. Too nice in fact that I’m scared of talking to him because I might string out a handful of profanities it might ruin him. He’s just so wholesome.”_ Mike remembers Levi telling him in passing as they were having small-talk at the break room. It happened on Monday, after Erwin’s Facebook incident, Mike successfully shifted their conversation from the topic of hobbies to the topic of Erwin.

 _“Oh, trust me, he wouldn’t mind,”_ Mike assured Levi, and the raven-haired all but gave him a shy smile, looking away from him to hide the fact that he’s blushing at Mike’s remark.

Mike forgot to ask Levi about the Facebook incident after that though because when he went back to his office, he frantically dialed Erwin’s dad, and happily shared the recent developments in Erwin’s love life.

Erwin’s sweet, old man was happy when he found out about Erwin having a crush on someone but he seemed even happier when Mike told him the possibility that that said crush might actually be interested in Erwin in a wholesome way.

“ _It’s been years!”_ Mike recalls how the man rejoiced on the other line.

“Mike.” Erwin shook him out of his deep thoughts.

Mike huffed to gather himself and said, “Erwin, explain it to me again.”

“Well,” Erwin exhaled as he sat up, Mike deciphered that his best friend wanted to explain this properly without trying to hide it in a nonchalant manner, “So you said that posts in Reddit, uhh, subreddits, time doesn’t matter for you guys, right? Like you upvote? That’s the equivalent of reacting to a Facebook post, right? Well, you guys don’t care if someone upvotes a post from like years ago, I’m assuming. On Facebook, it’s different. It indicates that you may or may not have been scrolling through a person’s timeline. Ya know, _cyberstalking_ them,” He explained.

Mike sighed. “And that’s so bad because?”

Erwin’s face scrunched up. “It’s bad because it makes you seem like a creepy stalker going through someone’s Facebook timeline. Unless of course, they told you to scroll through,” Erwin puts emphasis on every word he said, as if he was explaining the concept to a kindergartner. “Do you understand?” He whined.

“I don’t get it, Er.”

“What’s so hard to grasp, Mike?”

“Well, you told me Levi’s account is public. Like he posts everything and everyone can see, react, comment, and even share.”

“Yes, I told you that.”

“And you told me he’s somewhat Facebook famous. He has a lot of friends and Facebook followers?”

“Yep,” Erwin was raising his eyebrows now.

“And it seems like he posts photos and videos for everyone to see?”

Erwin nodded, clearly remembering the video Levi posted, he was singing a Troye Sivan song while playing his black guitar. It racked a lot of Facebook views. Erwin couldn’t help but smile a little at the recollection.

“If that’s the case, then he probably doesn’t care when people see his old posts and react to it,” Mike said, as a matter-of-factly, knowing he makes sense and grinning at his small victory against his best friend's wits.

At that, Erwin looked like he’s about to short-circuit, blinking twice and taking a deep breath before opening his mouth to say something yet failing anyway, mouth agape in incredulity.

“God, I fucking love it when I make more sense than you.” Mike chuckled. “See? I’m right? You’re fussing over nothing. Levi is friendly. It might not seem like it but he might appreciate it if you, yaknow, talk to him. Ask him what’s up?”

“N-No. I mean. Mikey. It’s not that easy. You. I mean. I. You-“

“I what, Erwin? You know I’m right. You’re overthinking it because you’re scared of biting the bullet.” Mike said with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“I mean. I mean. You might be right.”

It was Mike’s turn to raise his eyebrows.

“Fine. You’re right.” Erwin whined.

“So?”

“So?” Erwin repeated Mike’s word, obviously not getting where his best friend is going with his logic.

“So, you making the mistake of liking an old post of him is not that big of a deal. Go ahead and message him, hit him up, you know, initiate something. For all we know, he might like you back.” Mike feels victorious, to him his logic is flawless and even someone as emotionally awkward as Erwin would understand it.

Erwin was biting his lip now, earning a raised eyebrow from Mike once again.

“Er, I think you’re withholding one more information from me.” His statement sounded more of an allegation than an observation.

“W-What? No?” Erwin replied, looking away from his best friend.

“You never maintain eye contact when you’re lying,” Mike sniffed, “and you emit this strong liar smell. I can smell it on you now,” he added with a grin still on his face.

“I’m not lying!” Erwin whined.

Mike didn’t reply.

“Well. Fine. I think he wouldn’t like me, Mikey.”

“What makes you think that? Er, everyone likes you.”

“Did you read the caption of the post I liked?”

Mike racked his brain to remember what the fuss was about. He remembered the word bad boy and something about how Levi is looking for someone like that to have a good weekend with. “That he’s looking for a bad boy?” He asked, actually concerned about where Erwin might be going with it.

“Yes.” Erwin was blushing now.

Mike can’t help but be hysterical.

“Don’t laugh at me! You know I’m not a bad boy. He wouldn’t appreciate that.” Erwin pouted.

It took Mike a while to compose himself before he spoke again. “Erwin,” he whistled through a laughing fit.

“Mike.” Erwin tried to put venom in his word but failed at the obvious embarrassment he’s feeling.

“Erwin, it’s the internet. He probably put that caption in without thinking much. It was probably a joke of some sort. Do you post truthful things on your Facebook?”

“I don’t even post, Mikey. I suppose you’re right. But I don’t think Levi would lie about that. He’s very open on the internet after all. Why would he lie in the first place?”

“That’s an irrelevant argument, Erwin. Just go talk to him.” Mike rolled his eyes. “Get back to your crunches,” he told Erwin in a more serious tone.

Erwin complied and got back to doing his crunches.

All throughout their workout session, Erwin noticed that Mike never let go of Erwin’s phone - because they’re close, they don’t put prohibitions on phones - they both always allowed one another to use each other’s devices without protest. And it’s nothing suspicious if one starts taking videos and pictures of the other throughout a workout session.

It’s not the first time they did that.

It’s not the first time Mike took all the liberty to use his device. When they started working out together, he had to ask Mike to take a picture or videos of him working out. But it is a habit for them now.

Why Erwin wanted to keep workout photos of himself, Mike didn’t even bother asking. He knows it is purely for whatever reasons his best friend had, and the same is none of his business.

Erwin kept these photos and recordings in private like digital journals, as if he’s keeping a personal documentary of his lifestyle. He doesn’t even post it anywhere, not even on workout forums.

The early workout session, and that little talk with his best friend, made Erwin retreat to his apartment for the rest of the day to finish a show he’s watching. He originally planned to go out at some cafe alone but he quit on that, finding himself too occupied with the thought of Levi. It’s a way for him to de-stress, he assured himself.

It was around 6 pm when he received a call from his father. It wouldn’t have been out of character for him if they haven’t planned on video-calling after dinner that night.

“Hey, dad.” Erwin’s voice was a little hoarse from not speaking to anyone for the rest of the day.

“I just called to let you know it’s nice that you’re finally posting on Facebook.” His father’s voice was cheerful on the other line.

“What?” He was confused. He never posted anything.

“Well, you posted something and even changed your profile picture. Or did someone accessed your account while they’re unauthorized?” His dad had a bit of worried tone in his voice now. Erwin felt his insides twist. He hated making his dad worry.

“I... I mean yeah. Yeah, it’s nice I’m finally posting. I figured, for a change.” He bluffed.

“Well, make sure you don’t forget to tell me later on our video call. I couldn’t wait to hear about your crush now that you guys are finally friends. Talk to you later.”

The line was cut before Erwin could ask his father what he meant.

Erwin signed up for Facebook some years ago, at the incessant pleading of his dad. His father enjoyed the social media platform and told his son that it was a good virtual place for them to keep in touch. Ever since he went to college on the other side of the country, too far away from his childhood town.

His dad tried to find easy ways to communicate with his only son. Erwin couldn’t blame him, there’s only two of them left together anyway. That’s why he didn’t protest when his father told him to sign up.

But signing up, for Erwin, didn’t mean that he partook in every feature of it. Sure he communicated with some friends, coworkers, and relatives through Facebook. He even allowed people to tag him and he leaves likes and comments on posts that he comes across.

He never indulged himself in Facebook in-depth. That is, he never posts for his own.

Erwin only lurks and interacts with people he knows. Only opens a person’s timeline voluntarily when they tell him to check something out or view their posts.

Even Erwin’s current profile picture contains only his silhouette on a sunset picture he took when he visited his father’s beach house. No selfies or personal pictures, except for tagged photos from family and/or company events.

And never has he ever scrolled through someone’s account without their prior consent.

Well, not until Levi.

Erwin had a bad feeling something has changed, and if his hunch was right, that Mike is the culprit of it all, then he’s showing him no mercy tomorrow when he and his wife, Nanaba, would visit to hang out.

Erwin hurriedly opened his Facebook account on his laptop. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the notification sign, which at times held only the numbers **_1_** to **_5_** , is proudly a **_9+_** now.

He took a deep breath and clicked on it.

He can feel his blood rising up to his face, not knowing what to do or what to even feel. He’s more than sure that Mike is the culprit behind all the ruckus. He took a mental note to make Mike feel his wrath when they play Mario Kart tomorrow before clicking on each notification.

He wonders what he, Erwin Smith - a lurker, a casual Facebook user, a man who only signed up because his dad literally begged him to and he can’t say no to his wholesome father - had posted. Or rather, what Mike Shithead Zacharius did now.

**_Mike Zacharius commented on your post._ **

The post contained two videos of him: one where he was doing his crunches; and another where he was lifting a barbell, he was shirtless in both.

He, actually Mike, put a caption saying:

_Body goals. The gains keep me going. #stayfitgym #fitness #gains_

Erwin knows he should be so embarrassed about the video because he obviously didn’t intend for it to be seen by other people. Mike didn’t even mute it. He can feel his face going hot out of embarrassment by just listening to the audio of him grunting, groaning, huffing, and panting - making all the sounds he usually does involuntarily because of exertion.

The embarrassment stemmed from that part of him who can’t deny that the sounds he was making during the workout were rather suggestive depending on the audience.

Which made it even more baffling because his viewers didn’t seem to mind. The post racked 10.1k views, which puzzled him because he only has 412 friends on Facebook.

Mike left a comment saying: _“now go tell DADDY what you’re about”_

**_Erwin Smith Sr. replied to a comment on your post._ **

His poor father, oblivious to the connotation of the specific term in internet lingo, left a question mark under Mike’s comment to which Mike replied with a “ _uhh awkward. sorry I can’t explain”_

10 people left a laugh reaction at Mike’s comment. Erwin can feel himself fuming. He’s made up his mind now and he will make sure to make Mike regret posting on his Facebook account without permission.

**_Nile Dawk and 416 others reacted to your post._ **

Erwin couldn’t even recognize most of the names of the people who reacted to it.

**_Dot Pixis and 64 other friends commented on your post._ **

He felt his gut clench at all the compliments people left in the comments section.

The most remarkable one though is from his company’s CEO, Dot Pixis, who wrote heartwarming praise for him, telling Erwin that he feels motivated to get back to his game and impress his wife.

**_Keith Shadis posted on your wall._ **

Keith is the owner of Stay Fit Gym and he left a post on Erwin’s wall, thanking him for the free endorsement of the establishment.

Erwin couldn’t make the itch go away when the moment of clarity that hit him, the reason why his videos racked up 10.1k views (and still going up) was that Mike put it in public, and people actually shared it across the platform.

Erwin was gritting his teeth by the time he moved on to the next notification.

**_Nana Banana posted on your wall._ **

_Wow, you’re Facebook Famous now._

**_Armin Arlert and 458 others shared your post._ **

Erwin recognized some of the people who shared it, but mostly he doesn’t even know the majority of them. Armin, for one, is a political science major who interned at the company. The kid directly reported to him, the Company’s Legal Officer. Though the others were completely random people all over Facebook.

**_Historia Reiss tagged Ymir Fritz on your post._ **

**_Nana Banana tagged Mike Zacharius on your post._ **

**_Eren Jaeger tagged Jean Kirstein on your post._ **

The other notifications were of people tagging their significant other to the post, teasing them about getting ripped to have a good time. Someone even commented: _#BeLikeErwinChallenge_

But it was the last two of the notifications which made Erwin almost drop to his knees.

**_Levi Ackerman and 534 others reacted to your Profile Picture._ **

It was a mirror selfie Erwin took some weeks ago, and Mike put it in public, too.

In the picture, he wore the black tank top he recently bought and thought it’d be a good idea to lift it up just a little bit to show his abs while he posed. Of course, at the time he took it, the only thing he had in mind was to send it to his only two close friends.

 _“So is anyone interested in a three-way?”_ Erwin remembers how he quipped in their group text.

 _“Hmmmm. What do you say, Honey?”_ Nana replied.

 _“Erwin. For fuck’s sake. Go get a fucking boyfriend and stop texting us whenever you’re horny.”_ Mike expressed his concern for him and his sexual health in the form of tough love.

The couple has told him time and time again that they didn’t understand why Erwin thought he’s unattractive.

Nana affirmed that that photo alone proves Erwin’s insecurity otherwise. So, he sort of understood why Mike chose it as his profile picture. He cannot deny that he looked rather hot in the picture.

His post, or rather Mike’s, was captioned: _Heard you like bad boys._

It was the most embarrassing thing he has ever read in his entire life until he saw the last notification.

**_Levi Ackerman commented on your profile picture._ **

He couldn’t explain it in words but his heart was beating out of his chest. When he braved up to click on it, nothing appeared.

Erwin’s not sure if he should be relieved or frustrated.

Sleep didn’t come easy for him that weekend. But his prior accidentally liking of Levi’s old post is the least of his concerns now.

Erwin stayed awake, trying to scour the internet for answers.

Why would a Facebook notification appear on his account but would not bear anything related to said notification?

Apparently, on some forums, people explained, when a Facebook notification appears on one’s account and it turns out to be empty, there’s a probability that a prior action for said notification was deleted or it could be a glitch.

A glitch is the one reason with the highest probability but Erwin knows it in himself, he wanted it to be the other reason because if that were the case then what could it be, he thought, that Levi wrote on the comments yet deemed unnecessary for Erwin to read that he decided to delete it?

On the other hand, his crazy mind made him refresh the page over and over in hopes that it’s just a Facebook glitch. Hoping a little that, if it was a glitch of some sort which hid Levi’s comment from him, Levi wrote something nice. Hopefully.

He is a mixture of complicated emotions now and as much as he hated the fact that Mike posted a private picture of him without consent, he can’t help but feel his heart flutter a little bit because, thanks to Mike, Levi noticed him.

Levi ignored Erwin all week.

Their only interactions - the casual greetings they shared when they walked pass each other in the hallway - ceased for some reason and Erwin has no idea why.

It crushed him.

The purposeful avoidance isn’t subtle any longer, too.

When Levi saw that he was around, he would look down or even leave the room, as if in panic. But it doesn’t even make sense to Erwin because he saw that Levi had already gotten well-acquainted with the other employees. Especially the ones in different divisions.

What’s worse, Erwin is friends with most of the people he works with yet he never established a good office dynamic with Levi, that’s why it bothered him that the raven-haired never saw him as a mutual friend.

Petra and Olou, Erwin’s Legal Assistant and Legal Writer, even went out to eat lunch with Levi.

Erwin voiced his concerns to Mike, too, and all that his best friend ever said was, _“Well, you’re in a higher position than him and the others, Erwin. Aren’t you used to this already? Maybe he’s keeping a professional distance. You know we don’t have to be friends with everyone we work with.”_

He just doesn’t get it. It kills him on the inside knowing that he had a very limited chance of being friends with Levi now. His plan already went to shit that Monday morning when he and Levi walked down the hallway at the same time, just the two of them - same pace and stride - but Levi never uttered a word of greeting. Only kept his eyes on the floor as he walked slowly as if nothing was weird or anything at all.

That morning was enough to confirm, with no more doubts, that Levi couldn’t stand him.

Levi hates Erwin.

And Hange Zoë throws him playful grins whenever they interact with him, as if they are teasing Erwin and that they know for a fact Levi hates him.

Erwin’s guts clenched whenever he tries to make peace of the fact: Levi hates him.

It made him give up on trying to be friends with Levi. There’s no point anyway. He can even clearly remember what Mike had to say about it.

_“We don’t have to be friends with everyone we work with.”_

_“But everyone’s friends with me! Unless everyone secretly hates me and Levi is the first person to make me feel the hate.”_ He whined at Mike’s explanation.

They both know for a fact that most of the people in the office loved him for whatever reason, Erwin didn’t care. His dad taught him to be kind to everyone that was why people treated him kindly, too.

He reminisced on Monday, he went back to work after everyone saw what he, actually Mike, posted on his personal Facebook page.

People liked Erwin, he knows that.

Everyone complimented the hell out of him and even the likes, comments, and shares are still growing to date.

Erwin thought, if one of those people did hate him, then they’re doing one hell of a great job hiding it.

“You’re overthinking it, Er.” His best friend chuckled at him, not really seeing the severity of the situation.

“You can just ask him what’s wrong. I agree with you, Erwin, everyone likes you. I don’t think anyone in the office can say anything bad about you. Well, except other rival companies, they probably hate you so much and probably dear Susan in accounting, she’s dieting yet you buy way too much food to share that she couldn’t resist wolfing it down,” Nanaba interjected.

Their words didn’t get through him though.

The fact remains, Levi hates him and he hates that his closest friends make so much sense.

Although Erwin knows deep down that the two of them don’t know the entire story on his side of the situation.

Tuesday afternoon that week, he ran into Levi who was washing his cup on the office kitchen sink.

Erwin saw how Levi’s eyes got wide, with shock or surprise, Erwin couldn’t tell, at the sight of him.

Conveniently for Erwin, it happened when he decided to go on a break, to have some hot cocoa, and even planned on hanging for a while at the break room. He had just received an urgent legal problem which he immediately worked on to keep him occupied - which was why his body urged him to get something sweet and warm on his system. The case almost threw his problem about Levi out of his mind, though it didn’t last as long as Erwin needed it for distraction.

Everything came rushing back at the sight of Levi, as if panicking, retreating from the office kitchen when he realized that Erwin was there.

There was an unusual look on the raven-haired man’s face as he hurriedly stomped out and Erwin can still remember the sound of Levi’s heavy heels on the carpet.

Erwin wondered if Mike and Nanaba would still think he’s being overdramatic about Levi when that incident says it all.

Levi hates Erwin. He can’t stand Erwin. Why else would he have done that?

He knows his friends might understand why he’s given up on trying to befriend Levi. But he can’t bring himself to say his conclusion out loud.

As true as it is, he doesn’t want to put it out for the world to confirm it.

Erwin yearned for Friday.

He was pretty down all week and blamed it on work. Although he knows the legal problems he was trying to smooth out were nothing new.

They weren’t even as challenging and as hard as some people might assume.

Thankfully, Mike and Nana took his word for it. He’s just stressed about work, he told anyone who asked, anyone who was worried.

He kept the bitter feeling of dejection all to himself and feels bad that he can’t even tell anyone, even his father who always listens, about what was eating at him for the past few days already. One of the worst things that could ever happen to him aside from being too sad and lonely is to make his kind father worry.

Erwin knows deep down, yet sees no point in reaching out to anyone who might care, he feels like shit. He feels so sad and so lonely, and he’s so fucking tired.

He knows and hates himself for knowing that he allowed himself to feel this way because he was too caught up with a silly crush.

Erwin decided to only keep himself so busy with work all week to push down the feeling of dejection which consumed him already. Damage control, one might say.

It’s why he looked forward to his own private moment, at the comfort of his penthouse apartment, where he can finally have an entire weekend to mope.

He already planned on blowing off the plans he made with his friends. Maybe even tell them he’s going out of town for a little vacation, just a guise to hide the fact that he’ll be locking himself in his apartment and doing whatever he can to sort out his messy feelings.

This mess all started when Erwin allowed himself to spiral down in his attraction to Levi. That was why he’s starting there and what he needs is to sort his feelings for Levi through, to hopefully find a rational way to get over his stupid infatuation over the raven-haired man.

He has allowed his feelings to get the best of him and it is time to stop.

Erwin already thought up his game plan, the _getting over a stupid crush plan_ , while he was making his hot cocoa in the office kitchen that Friday afternoon. He’d tell Mike he’s going to meet up with fellow members of a Fanclub he’s in, and he wants to go alone because he possibly has a date.

Mike and Nanaba usually accompanied him because they liked the same things Erwin liked. But if something includes the prospect of Erwin seeing someone, they respected his privacy.

Erwin figured it’s a reason plausible enough for his friends to not protest.

In actuality, Erwin knew he’d pop by the supermarket after getting out of the office, fill up on every junk food he craved - his father forbade having his pantry filled with junk food - and things he might need over the weekend because he did mean it that he doesn’t want to get out on the weekend and he would figure it out from there.

As he was walking back to his office, trying his best to put on a convincing face for when he breaks the news to Mike, he was taken aback when he saw his best friend, standing right outside his office door, talking with Hange Zoë.

Erwin hated seeing Mike with Hange and he hated it even more that they seemed so close. They were even chuckling together at something he didn’t hear.

“Speaking of the devil,” Mike chided as Erwin got near.

Hange gave him a too wide of a smile, their eyes seemed to be wider than usual underneath their thick eyeglass, but Mike did not seem to notice.

“What’s up? I mean why are you guys here? What are you up to?” Erwin replied, acting like the two bonding together does not, in the least bit, concern him.

Mike grinned, “Well, our friend Hange Zoë here is inviting us to a gig their band is supposed to be playing at,” he explained, looking sideways at Hange like they’re talking on cue.

Hange nodded. “Yeah! I wanted to ask you guys if you would be interested to come and see me and Levi play. If you guys are into alternative rock music,” they said, eyes gleaming in what Erwin could only identify as excitement, “I mean sorry I’m inviting you guys at such short notice though, it took me a while to convince Levi. It’s gonna be later tonight at Kenny’s, that new hangout place a block away from this building. Levi’s uncle owns it and he organized this event to gain traction. We really hope you would come.”

Erwin felt a little sting in his chest at the mention of Levi’s name, and the fact that they had to convince Levi to invite him. It must have taken a lot out of the raven-haired man to agree.

He tried to shrug off the unusual air he felt around Hange yet Erwin can’t help but be nitpicky at the one person who spends too much time with Levi. He knows it’s just his jealousy talking.

Jealousy which, by the way, is completely unfounded.

His train of thought was cut off by the look on Mike’s face, silently telling him that he forgot to respond to Hange’s invitation.

“Did you hear that Erwin?” His best friend raised an eyebrow at him before he continued,” Levi will be there.” There was a teasing tone in Mike’s voice, way too obvious and Erwin felt his face go hot.

Hange grinned then playfully pinched Mike’s face, to which Mike replied with a chuckle. A teasing chuckle.

Erwin glared at Mike, he hates how the two people in front of him seem to have their own inside joke already.

“Uh. I- I mean,” he took a deep breath, he knows that Levi might not appreciate him being there, “Are you guys sure you wouldn’t min-“

“What my good friend meant, Hange, is that you can expect our presence there! I’ll tell Nana about this, she loves alternative rock! And it might not seem like it but Erwin is into hot inked dudes, too!” Mike interjected.

Hange Zoë excitedly huffed at them, shoved a ticket to Erwin’s free hand then said, “Well, see you guys! Especially you, Erwin,” they were already walking before Erwin could protest. He was dumbfounded at the interaction.

Erwin wanted to reject the offer. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he ruined Levi’s show by going to the gig.

Mike cut his train of thought by grabbing him to his office and sitting him down, causing his cup of hot cocoa to splash around and spill a little yet an unforgivable amount on his office carpet.

“Listen, Er, whatever you have planned tonight, just drop it. I don’t care. Tonight’s your fucking chance to make a move on Levi, and I will literally punch you in your fucking face if you don’t make a move tonight.” His best friend said while pacing back and forth inside his office.

Erwin slumped on his chair, he doesn’t know how to respond to Mike’s hopefulness. He can’t even be bothered to hide the look of dejection in his face. He took a small sip of his hot cocoa absentmindedly and winced when it burned the insides of his mouth.

His best friend just looks so supportive that it would kill him, to tell the truth. “ _I don’t have a chance with him, Mikey.”_ He thought to himself.

“Erwin! Are you processing this?!” Mike whined, gesturing at the piece of paper that Erwin forgot he was still clutching to.

“Uh. I don’t know what to tell you, Mikey. But I can say for sure that I have given up on Levi, honestly. I already settled it in my mind, how we don’t always have to be friends with people we work with and I’m pretty fine not pushing it. I don’t want to insert myself into someone else’s life uninvited,” he took a deep breath and continued, “I don’t know why you won’t believe me but Levi hates my guts and I don’t think it’d be a good idea to show up there. For all we know, it might only be Hange who wants us to go. Levi might be surprised if he sees me there. Besides, I don’t want to ruin their band’s gig. I already accepted it that I can’t please everyone, as you have said. I don’t want to ruin Levi’s night.” Erwin can’t help the tone of self-pity in his voice.

“You mean distract him?” Mike rolled his eyes. Erwin sighed at that. “What’s up, Erwin?” The tone of Mike’s voice seemed concerned now.

“Nothing.”

“Er.”

“I said nothing! Drop it already. I don’t wanna go!” Erwin snapped and the look of concern in Mike’s face grew even more obvious.

“Erwin, you have a 150-dollar worth of ticket in your hands right now. Apparently that’s some sort of VIP admission, given to you for free. You have bottomless drinks and shots for free. There’ll be pizza, too. Lots of it. You got that, again, for free. If you really don’t want Levi to see you, you can just, you know, get hammered. Doesn’t mean he wouldn’t appreciate seeing you though.”

“I said go, Mike. I won’t be able to go if I wanted to anyway. I’m going out with a date later tonight.” Erwin lied, averting Mike’s gaze, hoping that Mike would believe him and would leave him alone already.

“Okay, Erwin. Just text me.” Mike said and left his office, gently closing the door behind himself.

Erwin inspected the ticket still clutched in his hand and saw its price boldly printed on it with black ink.

 _What a waste_ , he thought, yet absentmindedly secured it at the back of his clear phone case like it’s his last prized possession.

Erwin doesn’t know if he should feel relieved or bad that Mike didn’t bother him for the rest of the afternoon. He even wanted to knock on Mike’s office and say sorry.

The thing is, he knows he can’t apologize yet because he’s still feeling something heavy inside him though he doesn’t know why.

Just some hours ago, he planned on avoiding a hangout session with Mike and Nana. He can’t just give his best friend a half-assed apology, he knows that.

Besides, his father always told him to never apologize when he doesn’t mean it because people who do that have the intention to repeat their mistake.

He knew Mike meant well but he couldn’t help it, the heavy feelings caused by his attraction to Levi just clouded his actions, took away his rational approach.

Erwin decided against his instinct to apologize and instead bolted out of the building, drove away before anyone could ask him if he’d go out on a Friday night.

He settled it with himself, he’ll apologize to Mike on Monday.

But first, he needs to sort out his thoughts and feelings.

The night seemed to be going well for him.

Erwin reached his penthouse apartment around 5:30, took a bubble bath, dressed up in his favorite grey hoodie and sweatpants, opened a tub of ice cream, a beer, ordered pizza, and continued watching Black Clover.

By 8:30, Erwin was already delightfully buzzed from the shots of tequila he had as well as the cans of beer he downed. He feels too damn comfortable already but the little sober part of him still lingers on the ticket - the one he put on the back of his clear phone case. He doesn’t even know why he kept it, he knew should have just left it at his office. But keeping account of its value, he doesn’t feel right with throwing it anywhere at all.

Erwin went back to watching anime when, out of nowhere, his phone rang.

It was Nanaba calling.

He was glad to have kept his phone on silent. So he just did nothing, put his phone back on the coffee table, and carried on with what he was doing.

He wouldn’t let anyone ruin his alone time.

Nanaba didn’t seem to take the hint though.

Erwin looked at his phone screen once again and saw the notification on his lock screen.

**_You have (10) missed calls from Nana Banana_ **

In just a matter of minutes, Erwin rolled his eyes, and before he knew it another call went through, this time it was accompanied with a loud banging on his front door. At that moment, he was glad that he chose not to have the elevator door open directly to the living room of his apartment. The gods know what Nana would do if there was nothing between them.

“We know you’re in there, Smith.” Nanaba’s voice boomed.

“We saw your car parked in the basement garage and the doorman told us you were home, Erwin. Going on a date my ass.” Mike added.

Of course, being close friends with them, they were given the privilege of having direct access to Erwin’s apartment building yet Erwin was glad he didn’t give them his new passcode yet. He recently had it changed as he did once every two months.

Erwin closed his eyes, hoping they would just leave if he doesn’t respond. The banging kept up in a steady rhythm though.

“Erwin! Open up! Come on!” The banging got even louder. Nanaba seemed angry now.

Erwin thought if he shared his floor with other tenants, they’d be so pissed at his friends right now.

“Erwin Fucking Smith, you better open the goddamn door and stop being a shitty drama queen or I’m calling your dad.” Nanaba’s tone of voice went lower and Erwin could hear the bite in her voice then.

Her threat prompted Erwin to bolt up and get the door, completely forgetting to fix himself beforehand.

The prior look of annoyance in their faces faded when they saw Erwin.

“Geez. What the fuck happened?” Mike winced.

“Nothing,” Erwin said in a steely voice before he realized what a big mess he must look like as of the moment. He remembers the various food stains he left on his sweatshirt throughout the night when he decided to stuff his mouth with all the junk food he bought from the supermarket.

His closest friends know that he eats a lot when he’s stressed, and it’s on a dangerous level of stress if he’s eating junk foods his father won’t approve of.

They even know that he doesn’t keep junk food in his pantry. His housekeeper buys groceries for him and he made sure they bought fresh and organic foods, even his snacks are organic, as per his father’s wishes.

That’s why when his urge to stress-eat gets so bad, he raids the grocery and gets whatever the fuck kind of junk food he lays his eyes on.

Mike and Nanaba raised their eyebrows at him. Mike sniffed and let out a scowl.

“I said nothing. Why are you guys here?”

“You have a cheeseball stuck on your shirt,” Nanaba said as a matter-of-factly.

“None of your business.” Erwin flicked it and tried to act steely again.

Nanaba shrugged.

“I’m here because Nana told me to apologize.”

“Apology taken. Now can you guys leave me alone?”

“Wow, rude.” Nanaba chuckled.

Mike let out an exasperated sigh. This prompted Erwin to furrow his brows.

“Erwin, have you been drinking just now?” Mike inched closer, sniffed him, and carefully inspected his face, taking note of how Erwin’s skin seemed to be blotchy.

“No.” He realized that he answered way too fast for it to be believable. “I mean. I drank some beers and some shots of tequila.”

“Then the answer should be yes,” Nanaba deadpanned. “Come on. Get ready. Let’s go out.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“Er, there’s literally no use moping around like this. What’s bothering you, man?”

Erwin shook his head. He can feel his face get a little hot, tears threatening to run a marathon through his already red cheeks as the emotions he had bottled up for the entire week were spilling through the brim.

He’s had more than enough of turmoil one person can take in a week.

“I said nothing,” Erwin broke out in a restrained sob.

“Oh, Erwin.” Nanaba drew closer to him and pulled him in a tight hug, gently caressing him. Mike followed suit, enveloping both him and Nanaba in a tight embrace before their bodies moved in accord to get inside his apartment.

When they broke away, Erwin was already full-on crying. Mike closed the door.

“Erwin, what’s wrong?” Nanaba inquired in a much gentler tone now.

“I dunno. I just feel bad. But maybe it’s because I’m a sad, lonely man.”

“No, you’re not,” Nanaba corrected him, “you have your dad and Mike and me. You have people who love you. You’re not lonely, Erwin.”

“Easy for you to say. You have someone to go home to.” He tried to keep his voice firm but obviously failed.

“Er, is this about you thinking Levi hates you-“

“No.” He answered too quickly.

“Oh, Erwin.” Mike’s tone matched Nanaba’s.

“I mean, I don’t know. I don’t fucking know. I want to be his friend. Damn. There’s just something so nice about him and I, I want to... I don’t know what I want. I don’t know anymore. I don’t even understand why it bothers me so much that he hates me. I know I shouldn’t be. It’s just a stupid crush and he doesn’t even know that I like him because he already hates me. Why am I always never good enough? Why am I so unlikeable? I will never be happy. I will never find someone who would understand me.”

Erwin couldn’t bear to look at his friends at the moment. He fears they’ll see how much devastated he really is and he couldn’t risk that.

He felt Nanaba’s hand slowly guide him to the couch just a few steps away from the door.

Erwin didn’t know why he allowed Nanaba to sit him down. She even sat beside him, hands gently caressing him. He knows he’s shaking. Mike, on the other hand, occupied the armchair opposite the couch and sat down.

“Mike, just tell him,” Nanaba told her partner. She seemed annoyed at Mike.

Mike sighed.

“Isweartogod.” Nanaba said through gritted teeth.

“Fine,” Mike took a deep breath then continued, “we’re here to pick you up.”

“Ugh,” Erwin heard Nanaba’s frustrated remark but he doesn’t want to look too much into it. He kept his head down while Nana pats his head as he sobbed - allowing his friends to watch him wallow in self-pity.

“Erwin, tell you what. Go get ready and we’ll take you somewhere fun.” Nanaba spoke in her ever so gentle voice.

“I-I’d rather stay alone for the night.” He stuttered.

“Erwin, I mean well when I say this. Please go out with us tonight. I promise you won’t regret it. If you don’t want to come, I wouldn’t drag you out of this miserable state, instead I’d take a picture of you and send it to your father.” Nanaba explained.

He lifted his head up, threw a glare at Mike who only shrugged, and nudged his head to his wife’s direction. Nanaba nodded.

“I mean it, Erwin. Who do you think sent us here?”

“Dad? Why would he?”

“You made him worry about the suspicious phone conversation you had earlier this night,” Mike explained.

“Huh?” Erwin wiped the snot from his face with the sleeves of his sweatshirt. He heard Nanaba’s grunt of concern.

“You really think you’re good at lying? He told me he wanted to go here as soon as possible but there’s a huge storm there and they wouldn’t allow any plane to fly until tomorrow morning. But for the meantime he’s not here yet, he wants us to make sure you’re alright.” His best friend explained.

“Why would he go here? I’m alright.”

“No, you’re not. Something’s clearly wrong, he told me. Your dad sensed it when you said you’re staying in tonight and that you didn’t invite me and Nana over.”

“I see,” he saw no point in denying it.

“Would you please go out with us, Erwin?” Mike begged him, and he felt Nanaba’s gentle hands go over his head to pat him again, he feels like a lost child.

“Please, Erwin, go dress up. I swear tonight you’ll forget about everything that’s bothering you.” Nanaba added.

“But where are-“

“Doesn’t matter where. You’re going with us anyway. We promised your dad we will cheer you up.” Mike explained.

It took Erwin a while to get ready.

He knew he had to at least sober up, to gather enough strength to get out and his friends, ever supportive, let him.

Nanaba allowed him to cry some more - without asking him for any reason of his breakdown- as she enveloped him in her arms, while Mike cleaned up the mess he made in his living room, and picked out decent clothes for him to wear.

They made him drink water too, lots of it, before they allowed him to shower, alone in the bathroom. Erwin can’t help but smile bitterly at how his friends care for his sorry ass.

Mike picked a clean, snuggly black sweatshirt and a pair of denim jeans for him. Erwin’s heart fluttered at his best friend’s thoughtfulness. Mike picked his favorite sweatshirt.

They left when Nanaba saw it fit that Erwin was okay and ready. Or that he had at least calmed down and was no longer shaking. In a way, what his two closest friends did to him for the night reminded him to be thankful for them.

Mike and Nana seemed pleased that he already calmed down, and it gave Erwin a sweet ache in his heart.

They were right. He’s not alone.

His father worried for him and the couple reassured his old man time and time again that Erwin’s in good hands. Now he feels like shit for taking for granted their love and support for him.

So he tried his best to meet them all halfway, to at least put as much effort as they have in trying to make him feel alright, make him see the situation better, and make him know he’s loved.

Although he knows deep inside that if his friends weren’t around and he wasn’t occupied with the thought of him causing his sweet father to worry about him, he’d still be crying by now. He did his best to swallow the sobs threatening to break from his voice now and reminded himself that his biggest worry, his attraction to Levi, should not get the best of him and hurt everyone he loves.

The couple didn’t seem to mind that he put his earphones in and remained quiet for the entire ride. He knows they’ve figured that he needs quiet time for himself, to reflect on the things that just happened, and to prepare himself for wherever they might end up looking for fun for the night.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Nana broke the silence, letting Erwin know they’re getting nearer to their destination. He nodded in response.

“Er, I don’t think anything we say right now will get to you understand the situation so I’m hoping where we’re headed will help you understand better, all the things that have been bothering you, I mean,” Mike said, there was an apologetic tone in his voice as Nana ran a gentle hand on Mike’s arm.

Their car was pulling up now to a very familiar street.

Erwin looked outside the car window, and his heart skipped a beat at what they meant. He didn’t protest though, just gave them a hopeful sigh. He finds no reason to protest anyway. They were already there. The neon sign gleaming bright.

**_Kenny’s_ **

He gave his friends a polite smile when they both turned back to look at him.

“Honestly, I don’t really know if I should still retreat but I trust you guys and I would hate to ruin this fun night. So let’s just have fun,” he assured his friends, although he sensed that he was talking more to himself than them. He could tell that Mike and Nana are trying their best to hide their concern so Erwin composed himself.

 _“Just this night, forget about it.”_ He told himself.

_Kenny’s_ _hang out place_ , as written in the marque, was just a glorified nightclub in disguise. It had a modern look to it, it seemed uniform to the other buildings all over the block, but a neon sign and marque at the front made its vibe reminiscent of the 90s.

It was like a fusion of generations.

A swarm of people occupied almost everywhere around and leading up to the establishment’s entrance. A faint noise can be heard up to the sidewalk.

Anyone passing by can tell people must be having such a good time at whatever was happening inside the establishment.

Erwin politely followed his friends as they stopped by the entrance to show stamps on their hands.

 _“So they’ve already been here earlier_.” He noted before his attention was averted to the bouncer at the entrance.

They motioned for Erwin to show his ticket. Erwin complied, took the ticket from where he kept it then handed it over. In exchange, a red little stamp bearing the words Exclusive Admittance kissed his skin.

As they walked, the small flight of stairs led them to a stretch of a hallway lit by string lights to an oversized basement at the end of the hallway- the entrance sure did mislead him because it seemed small and he assumed the place is not as big and spacious as it would be.

Erwin couldn’t help but wince as he started to make out the scene that would greet him at the end of the hallway. But he steeled himself anyway, he kept walking and carried on with his game plan: his friends want to have fun with him and he’s giving them just that. He owes it to them.

He has already conditioned himself to have fun, even a little, just for the night anyway.

Yet his plan seems to be failing miserably at the sight, a swarm, of sweaty and mostly wasted people making him want to retreat, to go home, to cry.

These people are going crazy - loud, focused on the stage, raising their drinks, singing, dancing, and screaming along to the music the band, currently on a sizable stage in the middle of the dancefloor, was playing.

The band must be really, really well-known in the alternative rock scene then, the crowd seemed really hyped, he noted. But he couldn’t care to lift his head to look at the stage though. He treated it as background noise since whatever they were playing was unfamiliar to him but it’s obviously something the crowd knows too well.

His friends stopped walking, and it gave him the chance to study the place intently. He can tell that the basement setting of the bar made it seem even bigger than it is. The interior looked like an old movie theater, average-sized at that. Its walls were obviously lined with soundproofing materials in varying shades of dark red and black.

The dancefloor was rectangular in size but a round stage situated in the middle of it allowed the audience to all stand in a circle around it, the place reminded Erwin of amphitheaters. There was a huge vintage-looking bar at the left side and pool tables which was swarmed with people as well, and on the far left was a spiral staircase leading to another floor, maybe a decent sized loft, which had curtains and balconies on it.

It seemed to accommodate VIP customers.

Erwin felt sure that he had successfully mapped he place, he knows where exactly he could hang around and mope with a drink in his hand, somewhere dark and secluded yet uncomfortable enough that no one would dare to hide and make out in.

Just some unsuspecting corner for him to be alone. His fortress for the night when his friends would break away from him to have fun.

However, his emotions sunk down again when his eyes caught sight of the big poster situated at the free wall on the right side of the sizable bar. He had noticed small versions of said posters littered in the hallway and around the venue, since he entered yet paid no mind, never really looked closely.

But this one was a bigger version, harder to ignore, the image on it really lingered on Erwin - for he can actually recognize the one face he was trying to avoid having thoughts about for the rest of the night.

It hit him like a truck.

**Rock n’ Roll Night!** was written boldly on top of it, with an image of a band - unmistakable, he recognized two of the faces occupying its entirety.

A small list of band names, opening acts, were listed on the lower part of the poster.

But the word **Freedom** was oversized, stylized.

Five people occupied the middle part of the poster. Erwin can recognize two, Hange Zoë on the far left with a fierce look on their face, next to a redhead, two guys at the right, one had two-toned hair – brown and blue - and one bleach blond, and Levi Ackerman standing in the middle.

Levi who was looking all smug like the bastard who unknowingly broke his heart.

The oblivious man who was the root of his heartaches. He averted his gaze but saw that it was already too late since Mike and Nana looked at him like they were expecting him to cry. They didn’t say anything to him though, only gave him a look he can’t quite decipher.

Nanaba put a hand on his back to guide him, as if afraid he’d walk elsewhere. “You have a booth.” She half-whispered through a smile.

The band was still playing in the background and people were still going berserk. Erwin was confused, he wanted to ask for clarification, but the thought immediately escaped his mind when they started moving.

He can’t help but feel a little happy for his booth.

They walked up through the spiral staircase and Mike led them to it. The booth had a round table, cushioned round seats, and, in some steps away, a small balcony where they could watch the band below. He figured it would overlook the stage.

Erwin then saw a metal sign bearing the words VIP, a small little card with the initials **_E.S._** carefully taped to it. The sign was neatly placed in the middle of the table with a buzzer beside it.

Mike pressed the buzzer as they seated themselves.

“You want anything?” Mike asked.

“Would you let me have a beer and some pizza?” Erwin shyly requested.

“Why not?” Mike smiled at him.

The stage lights dimmed down as the song started to fade in the background.

Nanaba walked over to the balcony and motioned for Erwin to join her. He might have imagined it but it seemed like she waved at someone below.

Erwin shook out of his thoughts and didn’t refuse Nana’s invitation. He gave Mike a look as if asking for permission. Mike chuckled, “I’m not your dad.”

Erwin pouted but gave him a little smile anyway, now curious with what the view must be down below, it made him wonder what viewing decks are like in nightclubs.

His dad is a big fan of Broadway and Erwin, at times, accompanied him at these Broadway shows. His father liked viewing decks in Broadway theatre - the ones with comfortable theatre seats - but the one he is in right now is new to him.

He only saw this kind of viewing deck in movies, and he’s too much of a homebody to try one alone his entire life. So, in a way, he’s having fun by feeding his curiosity.

Other irrelevant thoughts then seem to have even left his mind.

The song was over and the lights were already out when he reached the space beside Nanaba. He stood still.

The people below them were still screaming.

“Glad we weren’t too late for the last song,” Nana told him.

Erwin noticed the odd tone in her voice. He was going to point it out when the sharp sound of a guitar solo came on.

The stage lights were turned back on, illuminating the entire band on the stage. Erwin recognized Hange right away, they were sitting behind the drums. The other instrumentalists though, he can’t quite put a finger where they know them from, or, he figured he doesn’t know them at all, but they were the same people on the poster he saw earlier. The bleached-blond guitarist was playing a solo. Erwin got a little distracted at the way he played as if he was wielding a deadly weapon.

It might have taken Erwin a while to recognize, but he did anyway and he couldn’t help as his eyes lingered at the raven-haired devil gripping the mic stand, as if holding on for his dear life.

The audience went crazy as the lights dimmed once again and a lone spotlight was focused on the front man.

Levi, in a pair of tight black jeans, a black shirt, and a leather jacket. His hair was sticking to his forehead because of sweat, and his face was red all over.

Oddly enough, Erwin noticed that Levi had his hands over his brow, looking up and squinting.

Erwin can’t tell the exact direction he’s looking to but he’s certain Levi was staring up at the booths. He hoped Levi didn’t recognize him. He would hate it if he ruined his night.

Erwin felt his body retreat, his feet already moving one step backward before Nanaba put a firm hand on his shoulders and told him, “Stay there.”

It was probably a micro-expression or Erwin imagined it, but he saw Levi’s lips curl up in a gentle smile. Totally different from his resting bitch-face, the one he always wore around Erwin at the office, and Erwin believes he imagined seeing that damned smile.

“What a night, huh?” Levi said through the microphone. His demeanor is far more different than how he’s like at the office.

Erwin can’t help but feel a little bitter, jealous when the crowd cheered Levi on and Levi hyped them in return, hands up in the air signaling them to scream some more. “I’m glad you made it though,” Levi’s voice seemed warmer now as he put his hands down and reached for the guitar hanging on his body with a rainbow strap. Although it was such innocent action, the devil once again earned a crazy response from his audience.

“Anyway, that should have been the last song a while ago but someone threw beer at my shirt when the lights went off so,” Levi removed the guitar strapped around his body and someone from backstage assisted him, “I feel like you thirsty motherfuckers are onto something here.” He said as he struggled to remove his leather jacket.

The noise got twice as loud at Levi’s actions.

“Hange thinks that beer on my shirt after a show is bad luck. I just think it’s annoying. I plan on kissing someone tonight and I would rather prefer for this gorgeous fuck to smell my sweat than dried up beer? Amirite?” Erwin visibly winced at the speech, hating the idea of Levi going home with someone else tonight but he calmed himself down.

He knows he doesn’t have any right to feel jealous.

Before he knew it, Levi chuckled, voice unbelievably low as picked up by the mic, he put a hand at the hem of his shirt, and took it off in one fluid motion. Levi was topless in front of the crowd now and the whole place erupted with booming noise from the crowd.

Erwin could make out, through his hazy mind, the devil man with jet black hair has tattoos all over his fucking body and Levi had piercings on his nipples. Although Erwin tried not to look at his torso, convincing himself it’s bad enough that he’s hopelessly infatuated with the guy to take a good look at his body.

He jumped a little when he realized that Mike already joined him and Nanaba, his taller friend handing him a cold bottle of beer.

“Hange told me he’s really wild onstage.” Mike broke the silence among them. “I never thought it’d be like this though, that we’d see him like this to confirm their statement. You never would have known, in the office, I mean. They said he’s just really shy and that his onstage persona makes up for it. They said something about how he was trained by his uncle to be like this, ya know, like a passing of a crown or some shit,” his best friend blabbered. He threw Mike an unassuming look.

“So one last song? I’ve got a literal Greek God to ask out, and I fear I’d fuck it up again and he’d run out if I don’t make a move now.”

Levi earned a collective “awwe” from the crowd.

Erwin’s heart was now thumping out of his chest. He didn’t know why the guitar solo playing in the background is not as loud as it should be to hide the loud beating of his heart. He came back to his senses when the piece came to a stop. His senses seemed twice as sharp at the noise coming from the crowd, yet he hyper fixated at the slight breathiness of Levi’s voice through the speakers.

Erwin prayed for either more noise or radio silence, whichever would calm his heart down.

“Now, this is not a song of ours but I hope you all would forgive our band. I really want to sing this for someone and as the night progressed, I thought I will never get to.” There was a bittersweet look in Levi’s face. It broke something inside Erwin to see it.

“I hope you all like this cover. This is Scary Love by The Neighbourhood.”

The crowd cheered then the music started to play once again.

“It’s so fucking cold. I hope you all don’t mind if I put my jacket back on,” Levi chuckled, earning some laughs and teasing boos from the crowd. Levi rolled his eyes at everyone’s mixed response.

It was at that moment Erwin realized how Levi can actually be carefree. He bitterly yearned for it, a scenario in the back of his hopeless mind: Levi, carefree.

Levi’s mood seemed to have resonated in the entire venue.

A while ago, he was being so playful, engaging. But the face he had now that the intro was coming to a close, a cue for him to start singing, looked so full of longing.

His hands gripped the microphone stand, and Erwin lost himself when Levi began to sing.

_Move to the city with me_

_Don't wanna be alone_

_Don't wanna be alone_

_You're too pretty for me_

_Baby, I know, it's true, yeah_

_You look better when you first wake up_

_Than anybody else I've fucked_

_Baby, I got good luck with you_

_I didn't know we'd get so far_

_And it's only the start_

_Baby, you got me worried_

Erwin felt his heart thumping out his chest, going with the rhythm of the drum and the clapping of the people below.

_Your love is scaring me_

_No one has ever cared for me_

_As much as you do, ooh_

_Yeah, I need you here_

_Your love is scaring me_

_No one has ever cared for me_

_As much as you do, ooh_

_Yeah, I need you here_

Levi put both his hands up in the air and swayed, the motion timed to the beat of the song. When he saw that everyone followed suit, he put his hands back down.

_Ridin' through the city with me_

_Just watching you glow_

_I'm in the passenger seat_

_You're in control_

_It's on you now, mhm_

_You look better every day, I swear_

_Really, it's a little unfair_

_Baby, I'm star-struck by you_

_Didn't know we'd get so far_

_And it's only the start_

_Baby, you got me worried_

Erwin heard his voice break a little but he liked to think he imagined it.

_Your love is scaring me_

_No one has ever cared for me_

_As much as you do, ooh_

_Yeah, I need you here_

_Your love is scaring me_

_No one has ever cared for me_

_As much as you do, ooh_

_Yeah, I need you here_

The look on Levi’s face, Erwin identified it as something tugging to his heart as well. He clutched at his chest.

_If we fall apart_

_Maybe it wasn't meant to be_

_If we fall apart_

_Then it was our favorite dream_

_Ooh, ooh, yeah_

Levi took the microphone out of the stand and held it between his hands. Erwin saw the pain radiating through his words.

_Your love is therapy_

_No drug can give me clarity_

_As much as you do, ooh_

_Yeah, I need you here_

_Your love is scaring me_

_No one has ever cared for me_

_As much as you do, ooh_

_Yeah, I need you here_

_Ooh, I need you, babe_

_Ooh, ooh, ahh_

_Yeah, yeah, I need you, baby_

_Yeah_

_Ooh, I need you_

Levi’s eyes seemed glassy when the song finished. The crowd roared and the band bowed in front of everyone.

Erwin can’t understand why, whatever Levi’s emotion was, it resonated through him. It was as if a weird spark was coursing from Levi to him. A connection.

Though he’s not sure if he should either entertain the idea and feel good about it or not look deeper into it and drop the thought altogether. He just feels like throwing up.

“Thank you so much for this wonderful night! I hope you guys are having the time of your life.” Levi closed in a hurried tone as the stage lights went off.

When Erwin lifted his head, his eyes met the odd looks of his friends. They seemed to have been staring at him intently. He felt his gut clenched.

“Erwin.” Mike and Nanaba said in unison as if they were expecting him to get what the look on their faces meant. He decided, in a panicked state, that he’s not entertaining the idea lurking at the back of his mind, threatening to overflow into reality, the now.

He can’t get his hopes up because if it isn’t real, it would hurt him.

Erwin handed his beer bottle back to Mike. He doesn’t know if he needs to throw up or cry but he’s sure he needs to get out of his own head for a while, to be alone.

“I need to go to the bathroom.”

Mike seemed to have picked up what Erwin’s statement entailed. “Downstairs, hallway to the left.” He told Erwin firmly.

Erwin bolted out of the booth and found himself alone in the men’s bathroom in what felt like less than a minute - there were no other people in the stalls - and locked the door. He can’t feel his legs and the funny sensation in his stomach is making him dizzy. He doesn’t understand what he’s feeling, just knew that it was hell for him to breathe. He clutched his shaking hands on the bathroom sink, staring at his own eyes in the mirror.

Erwin attempted to ground himself. He closed his eyes and tried to listen to the faint sound of the noisy bar reaching his ears in the quiet, and the white noise in the somewhat soundproofed bathroom. He counted up to 10, slowly, and in between numbers, he took a deep breath and exhaled loudly.

 _Get it together, Smith_. He told himself.

A soft knock on the door took him back to his senses.

He gathered enough courage to walk to the door, though he dreaded the thought of having to interact with someone.

“In a minute.” He managed weakly, as he tried to come up with a plan which would allow him to open the door and effortlessly slide into a stall to cry, without interacting with whoever was on the other side.

“Erwin.” A voice addressed him as if they knew him well, but it didn’t belong to Mike. He was feeling even more nervous now.

“Erwin, I-I want to talk to you. Please.” The voice on the other side seemed like a whisper now, the background noise of the place almost drowning it.

He willed himself to unlock it, tried to do it swiftly despite his shaky hands. The door slowly opened, revealing the face of the culprit of his miserable feelings, dressed anew in a different set of clothes from the one he wore on stage as he charmed the crowd.

Levi looked at him in a way Erwin could not quite identify, as if he was looking at him through his soul, trying to decipher what Erwin was thinking.

It was unnecessary for Erwin to take a mental note but he noticed how unbelievably small the raven-haired man is, compared to him that is. If he wasn’t caught up in such a heavy barrage of emotions, it would be so easy for him to just envelop Levi in a tight embrace, to make the smaller man understand how badly he wants to reach out to him yet not quite knowing how to do so.

His thoughts were interrupted when he realized that Levi was walking slowly into the bathroom. Erwin wanted to get out, avoid Levi, and avoid any conversation that might commence. As much as the unpleasant thoughts of being rejected kills him, he’s sure that embarrassment would do more damage to his mind. He shivers at the thought of having to admit to Levi that he was deeply attracted to him and it got out of hand, he would hate for Levi to be pressured into accommodating his hopeless romanticism.

Erwin might be bad at expressing his feelings and emotions, but he’s no monster. He can’t just bombard Levi, unknowing Levi, with his stupid, messy feelings.

Before he knew it, the door closed with a gentle thud behind Levi and even that simple sound almost startled Erwin. It gave the raven-haired man a split-second to see through him.

Levi is already close to him and Erwin wanted to escape, run to the door. Pretend that nothing ever happened. His feet though, as if having a mind of their own, started moving with a slow step backward, as if beckoning Levi to follow him. He stopped short as his back hit the wall at the other side, opposite the door, a dead end. The other man seemed like he was studying his face.

He can still run, he thought, because deep down he knows he must retreat. Excuse himself.

Avoid Levi.

Avoid hoping.

Avoid catching any more feelings than he already has.

Avoid confrontation.

And to find someplace else to have a breakdown.

“Have you been crying?” Levi broke the silence, tone laced with a hint of sadness and concern.

“No,” Erwin answered quickly.

His response prompted the man to lift his hands up, making Erwin flinch at the expectation of a hand smacking him right in the face, but he was dumbfounded when he felt small, shaking hands, reaching out to cup his face. The touch felt gentle, radiating warmth on his skin as calloused fingers lovingly ran a line along the contours of his face.

Levi’s eyes never left his face, the man not even hiding the fact that he was staring intently. Watching the blond’s every move, waiting for words to come out of his mouth.

Erwin couldn’t bring himself to stare back.

“I’m sorry,” Levi said, his voice seemed like breaking as if he’s in such pain. It made Erwin want to pull away from his touch, to tell Levi that it’s no big deal and nothing about it should concern him. Yet at the same time, confusion budded in the back of his mind.

He wondered why would Levi feel the need to apologize, he lifted his head to ask about it, but Levi’s greyish-blue eyes caught him off-guard, kept him where he was.

Erwin’s sure his heart already fell out of his chest. He pushed out the hopeful idea blooming inside his mind and steeled himself.

“Is this some kind of a sick joke?” Erwin remarked bitterly.

Levi looked surprised at this, scared even.

Although Erwin doubts on his latter deduction. Why would anything scare Levi?

He doesn’t know about his feelings and he sure won’t tell him about it now, it’s the most sensible thing for him to do, to not give himself false hope.

Levi dropped his hands to his side yet hesitantly brought it back up to Erwin’s face again, to hold the broken look on Erwin altogether. The taller man shook his head, choosing to still ignore the idea, the hopefulness running back-and-forth between them through the moment.

“Please,” Erwin couldn’t help the desperation in his voice now. He doesn’t know what to say next - what he wanted to ask from Levi.

A part of him wishes Levi would not get any closer than he is now but he knows he likes it, hell, loved it if he could just melt into Levi’s touch. The smaller man knows it too and Erwin couldn’t hold it in any longer, he let his tears flow from his stinging eyes.

Erwin expected Levi to pull away but he kept both his hands steady on Erwin’s face instead. Attentive, as Levi gently wiped his tears with his thumbs.

“Erwin,” Levi whispered, hesitating yet he kept his eyes on Erwin’s face, waiting for a sign, for the man to allow him to explain himself, to tell him he is terribly sorry for giving him the wrong idea - for sending out the wrong signals and hurting him unknowingly. His heart ached, especially when all that he could identify in the taller man’s face was pain, bright blue eyes braving his gaze yet looking utterly devastated.

Levi couldn’t help the urge to make Erwin feel better. An urge inside him wanting to do everything just to see Erwin smile that sweet, genuine smile he so admired ever since the first time he saw him - the first day of work after New Year’s when he set foot in the meeting room of the new office branch he was relocated to.

He can’t calm down his thoughts now: how would he explain everything to Erwin; how would he make it all feel better, how can he make all of Erwin’s worries go away and replace it with happiness; what should he do just to get rid of whatever’s weighing Erwin down; and to just hold him so tight and kiss him as he cries, until his tears stop falling altogether.

He felt his heart thump, Levi knows all too well that even though he has all these thoughts about making Erwin feel loved, the way Erwin is right now is his fault.

Erwin’s misery is his doing - partly Hange’s and their naughty hands getting ahold of Levi’s phone - and it is his responsibility to do him right.

Levi can’t help but feel butterflies in his stomach, both from feeling guilty about making Erwin miserable and wanting to just grab the blond by the face and kiss him hard. It doesn’t help that Erwin is still unfairly gorgeous at such a miserable state.

Levi grits his teeth. He hates himself for making Erwin feel like this.

Apparently, everything he did so far which involved Erwin and his hopeless little crush on said man only translated as hate to the blond. Mike and Hange told him.

Levi blames his awkwardness and unapproachable demeanor offstage. He was avoiding Erwin on purpose, yes. But Levi doesn’t want to admit the real reason behind it. He explained to Mike that it was just his monkey brain acting up.

He may act so carefree and natural in some aspects of his life, but he genuinely doesn’t know how to flirt to people and, by people, he meant someone as gorgeous as Erwin Fucking Smith.

Levi purposefully retreated every time he had a chance to walk up to him because he can feel his face go hot, and he panics a lot where Erwin is concerned. Especially when he catches the blond looking at him.

Because Erwin _Fucking_ Smith has a way of making Levi feel like he’s being stared at right under a microscope, and Erwin Fucking Smith sure does it a lot.

That first meeting when he told Levi to call him Erwin, Levi bit his tongue to keep himself from uttering his naughty retort.

 _“How about darling?”_ He wanted to tell Erwin that time. When he told Hange about it afterward, they went hysterical and told Levi he should’ve said that because they saw the way the literal blond Greek God looked at him.

And Levi dreaded it whenever they had to shake hands or brush each other’s shoulders in the office hallway, because, again, his monkey brain wanted everything about Erwin, said monkey brain registers any physical contact with the blond as something sexual even if in actuality it was nowhere near remotely sexual. He had spent many times of his waking moments revisiting the memory of the firm squeeze he felt from Erwin’s strong, big, steady hand around his.

He is disgusted at himself too for his stupid brain visualized something lewd.

Erwin is too wholesome for that. Levi knows.

The guilt eats away at him, of course, and makes him so sick to his stomach. How can he even conjure up, out of nowhere, lewd thoughts about his crush, a man he doesn’t even talk to?

It also didn’t help that Erwin liked one of his pictures, Mike explained earlier that night that it was by accident. In his mind, that time when he received the notification of Erwin liking his post, he was already making scenarios about him and Erwin together, a couple - going on dates, kissing, holding hands, waking up next to each other, and doing whatever sweet, lovely things that couples usually do, the very things he could not stomach doing with his past boyfriends.

Erwin liked a post of his from way back, which Mike apologetically explained was an accident. “ _Oh, accident, so he wasn’t flirting?”_ Levi replied to Mike. But the man assured him that Erwin just doesn’t know how to properly flirt.

Though at that time, he paid the action no mind - just obsessed with his monkey brain thoughts - and assumed that the blond wanted him to check out his account or slide in his private messages. So his instinct told him to creep into Erwin’s profile again - he had done it already after the blond accepted his request and was deeply disappointed to see no new posts at all, not even a new profile picture.

That was why he got so excited when Erwin posted something, Mike apologetically explained that he had done it for his best friend to get Levi to notice him - the confession flattered Levi.

He was at band practice at that time and made the mistake of handing his unlocked phone to his bandmates. Before he knew it, Hange saved the photo and videos of Erwin showing off his body, and they left a comment on Erwin’s new profile picture.

 _You look great._ Hange commented through Levi’s account.

His bandmates thought it was a normal thing to comment on someone’s steamy picture like that.

Farlan, their bleached blond guitarist, even tried to convince him to send Erwin a message. To ask him if he’s down to fuck with that body.

He defensively clarified to his friends that he doesn’t plan on just bedding Erwin, and told his friends he had the intention of inviting Erwin to come see him play at their upcoming gig.

Levi that day was thankful to the gods because, even when it took him long to see what Hange commented through his account, there was no reply from Erwin which made him conclude that he had not been online yet.

He was worried Erwin might see it, he would hate for the blond to think he’s a thirsty, lonely fuck or, worse, a perverted creep.

Whether or not other people saw it, it didn’t bother him as much. The green dot beside Erwin’s name returned just a few seconds after he deleted the comment.

According to Mike, Erwin still saw the notification for his comment. He believes it was some sort of Facebook glitch, and that action of his led Erwin spiraling into questioning his self-worth. And it didn’t help that Levi, because of shame that he didn’t delete the picture and videos of Erwin Hange saved on his phone - Levi spent the majority of his free time re-watching the videos and staring at the picture of Erwin - could not look directly at Erwin the following week.

Hell, it got to the point where he finds himself so breathless around Erwin that he no longer could muster any strength to greet him with niceties in the hallway.

In the back of his mind, he remembers that one time Erwin ran into him at the office kitchen. He felt like shit that day, guilt eating away at him because he woke up with morning wood after a sexual dream involving Erwin worked him up. He had to jack himself off in the shower, and couldn’t get himself to cum unless he thought of Erwin.

He haven’t had any sexual encounters since he was relocated, and he put off masturbating because his brain makes him want to think of Erwin and he can’t do that.

He saw Erwin as too wholesome to lewd up. But a man could only do so much.

That day, he brought his phone to the bathroom with him, re-watched the workout video the blond posted, which, conveniently for him, had the audio which sounded very sexual whenever Levi closed his eyes. He felt like such a disgusting shit but rubbed himself off anyway at the sound of Erwin grunting, moaning, and groaning loudly because of exertion and kept his eyes closed, imagining a sexual scenario with the blond.

He came with Erwin’s name on his mouth, feeling refreshed. Yet when the post-orgasmic clarity came to him, the guilt of masturbating at the thought of Erwin made him feel like a useless, perverted creep.

Levi noticed that he’d been staring for too long at Erwin when another person entered the bathroom and relieved themselves at the urinal.

There was tension in the air, he can feel it, and Levi knows that even Erwin was patiently waiting for the person to get out already.

His bright blue eyes seemed braver now though as he firmly returned Levi’s gaze amidst the silence between them.

When the person got out of the bathroom, the door softly thudding behind them, Erwin took a deep breath and Levi mirrored it.

“I’m terribly sorry, Erwin.” Levi croaked, he cleared his throat to say it again. “I’m terribly, terribly sorry, Erwin.” His voice was firm now.

“For what? For me being miserable when you don’t even know what’s going on?” Erwin raised his eyebrows as if pretending he doesn’t know what Levi means.

To Levi, it seemed like an act to convince him that nothing’s wrong when in fact, something is terribly wrong and he was at fault for it.

Erwin was acting coyly, Levi figured. The blond pursed his lips, waiting for Levi to drop the topic and leave.

“I think I have an idea of it.” He confirmed. Erwin furrowed his thick brows, thick beautiful brows.

“Ugh. To hell with Mike.” Erwin huffed.

“And Hange, too. They left a comment on your post and I deleted it because I didn’t want you to think I’m a creep.” Levi chuckled, he saw how the blond man’s face softened at his brief explanation.

“I’m sorry for liking an old post of yours without permission, too. And sorry that I’m being overdramatic. I’ll get over it.” Erwin looked down. He felt the taller man move away but Levi caught him by the wrist.

“I think we need to clear some more things up,” Levi said, voice firmer now.

The look on the blond man’s face screamed utter confusion.

“We already have,” the taller man said, though it sounded like a question, “What do you mean?” He added.

“I think you should know I like you.” Levi bit his lower lip, he felt his face getting hot, and his heart thumped unbearably when he realized he could not identify the look he’s seeing on Erwin’s face now.

“Very funny, Levi. Ha ha.” Erwin remarked sarcastically and tried to pull his wrist away from Levi’s hold.

“Erwin. I mean it. I like you. Why else would I be here if I didn’t? Mike and Hange told me to take a shot with you and here’s it. Please believe me. If you don’t like me back then it’s fine. I can’t blame you. I just feel like you had to know this.”

The blond didn’t respond, expression as puzzled as ever.

If what Mike and Hange told him - that Erwin likes him - is a mere joke, he’d make sure to make them feel his wrath. The thought worried him, Erwin doesn’t seem like he feels the same.

The blond only raised his eyebrows and bit at his lip.

 _“Let me bite it for you,”_ Levi’s stupid monkey brain wanted to interject.

Levi huffed. “I swear to god, I fucking meant it. Please say something. Please tell me to go away if this bothers you.” He let go of Erwin’s wrist and ruffled his hair, something he does when he’s utterly embarrassed.

The blond still looked at him funny.

“Are you drunk, Levi?” Erwin broke the awkward silence.

“No.”

“Are you sure you’re not?”

“Yes.”

“Levi, are you really-“

Out of annoyance, he didn’t let Erwin finish his sentence. If the man won’t process his words, he’d make him feel it. He knows no words can really explain in-depth what he feels, and so he bit the bullet, he allowed himself to cup Erwin’s face and grabbed it downwards to his direction.

Levi let his lips land on Erwin’s pink, plump ones.

They stayed that way for a little while, Levi nervously waiting for Erwin to push him away, but also wishing for the taller man to pull him closer. He didn’t move his lips against Erwin’s, he just enjoyed the skin-to-skin contact and the way it felt as the blond man’s breath hitch.

Levi pulled away just a few inches from Erwin’s face, the man’s body bent a little now, leaning towards Levi, to accommodate the latter’s height.

Erwin carefully placed his hands on Levi’s shoulders as Levi firmly kept his hands on both sides of Erwin’s cheeks.

“Tell me if you don’t want me back.” He demanded breathlessly, bracing himself in case the taller man rejects him.

Erwin was the one who connected their lips now, hands eagerly grabbing Levi, keeping the raven-haired exactly in place. Their kiss was soft at first until Levi bit at Erwin’s lower lip for entrance. Erwin willingly bent to Levi’s bidding and before he knew it they were both heatedly consuming each other in such a labored way. Their hands caressing each other’s body as if trying to ground themselves, to confirm that they were indeed in the present, holding tightly onto one another.

When they pulled away to breathe, Erwin gave Levi another look which Levi identified as doubt. Levi knows he’d be annoyed at such look if the circumstances were different yet he can’t help but find Erwin adorable as of the moment, especially with his kiss swollen lips slightly parted.

“Levi, are you really sure?” Erwin asked him again despite chasing his breath.

“Why? Do you not like me back, Erwin?” Levi smirked at the blond man, which resulted in Erwin’s face going red.

“I mean, do you mean it-“

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” he grabbed Erwin’s shirt and shoved him into the nearest bathroom stall.

The action startled Erwin, although Levi does not, in the least bit, feel bad. His dominant emotion now is the determination to make Erwin understand how deeply he feels for him. He couldn’t help himself especially when he can visibly see Erwin’s doubts about his confession. It just got the better of him, made him desperate to prove his point.

The taller man was clearly taken aback by his strength. Bright blue eyes widened at the sudden action. Levi tried his best to put a soft look on his face, he ran a gentle hand on Erwin’s face, running gentle caresses on his skin.

“Here, let me show you,” Levi whispered, determination lighting his desire for Erwin ablaze, as he let himself inside the same stall he shoved the blond man in.

Erwin seemed nervous.

“If you tell me to stop, I’ll stop. But just,” he took Erwin’s hands in his and planted a kiss on each of it, “trust me on this, okay?”

Levi pulled Erwin’s face down once again, planting a hungry kiss on the taller man’s lips as he carded through his soft blond locks, before moving on to his cheeks, jaw, neck, and finally nibbling onto his ear.

“You have no fucking idea how long I wanted to do this.” He whispered in between kisses to Erwin’s ears. His hands were now gently going over Erwin as if he was trying to memorize even the littlest details of the man’s form. He slid his hands underneath Erwin’s sweatshirt and was pleased at the firm, warm body underneath it.

He let his hands run through Erwin’s pecs, feeling his pebbled nipples and grunting at the sensation of having touched them. He moved his hands back down to unbutton Erwin’s jeans.

“Honestly, if we were not in a bathroom stall right now, I would lick you all over,” he confessed to Erwin, this made the blond shudder. “But for now let me just suck you off. May I suck you off?”

As he successfully unbuttoned Erwin’s pants, Levi dropped down on his knees. He looked up, eagerly waiting for Erwin to give him the go signal. There was fire in the bright blue orbs on the blond’s face now as he gazed down at Levi. The taller man licked his lips as he chased his breath. To him, Erwin looked ready to pounce, eager to get sucked.

Yet Levi still made sure to not pull down Erwin’s pants without hearing the blond’s verbal consent.

Erwin held his breath for too long before clearing his throat and managing to let out a shaky, “You may.” He seemed ready to explode.

Levi didn’t waste time and immediately palmed through Erwin’s boxers as his other hand was busy sliding Erwin’s pants down.

The raven-haired man felt the blond’s eager member awakening to his touch. He carried on with the teasing touches as he planted open-mouth kisses on Erwin’s hips and thighs before he decided it was enough teasing already and lick his member through the thin fabric at the front of Erwin’s black boxers.

He made a show of it, too. Making sure to wet the fabric with his eager tongue as the blond watched him intently. The bulge growing even bigger and harder underneath.

Though Erwin seemed ready for Levi to take him all in, he gently kept his large hands on Levi’s head, not pulling or pushing him, just softly carding through the jet black hair.

Levi found it sexy and adorable at the same time.

When he realized he’s had enough of the teasing, he pulled away and took Erwin’s boxers down. He wasn’t prepared for the sight that greeted him, and it made his mouth water instantly. Just one look at Erwin’s cock made Levi lick his lips absentmindedly.

Levi looked up once again and was taken aback at the look on Erwin’s face, the man was biting his lips hard like he’s ready to explode any minute now, as if he’s only waiting for Levi’s permission to do so.

Yet he was still gently running his hand through Levi’s dark locks at the same steady pace.

The sight of Erwin was enough to connect to his groin. He kept his eyes locked on Erwin’s face staring down at him.

He gave Erwin’s length a few tugs before he let his tongue touch the tip and lap playfully at it. His free hand gently massaging Erwin’s balls. Levi licked a long stripe at the underside of Erwin’s cock which resulted in the taller man letting out a low groan.

Levi didn’t know how it was possible but he felt great pleasure in just hearing the man’s voice.

“Oh my god,” the blond whispered, lifting his head up and closing his eyes shut.

“I’m just Levi,” Levi quipped, “watch me, Erwin,” he directed.

Erwin quickly returned his gaze to Levi once again, and the smaller man didn’t break eye contact as he blew air over Erwin’s hard cock.

The blond hissed as Levi spit on his shaft and balls, the warm and wet saliva bringing forth pleasure on the man’s overheated skin.

Levi kept playing with Erwin’s balls as he opened his mouth and slowly took Erwin’s length in. The taller man’s gaze never leaving his.

“Goddamn.” Erwin let the pleasure consume him as Levi enveloped his warm, small mouth around his cock.

Levi didn’t take it all the way in yet so he pumped the remaining length with his hands, tonguing at the underside of Erwin’s dick. Earning beautiful sounds from Erwin’s mouth and a gentle tug at his hair with the taller man’s hands.

Erwin was trying his best to not thrust into his mouth, grasping at what little self-control must still be left in him after allowing the smaller man to suck him off in a bathroom stall. He was unconsciously closing his eyes now, mouth beautifully parted, moaning louder and more uncontrolled as Levi eagerly sucked on what he could fit on his mouth as his hands were busy playing with the remainder of what Levi couldn’t take, making sure to massage gently at Erwin’s tight balls.

Levi bobbed his head up and down, and simultaneously pumped at Erwin’s cock, shocking the blond with the sensation and causing him to regain awareness of his surroundings.

Erwin looked down at him with so much intensity and whispered, “Levi. Oh my fucking god,” through a breathless chuckle before biting at his left index finger to muffle his noise.

The blond kept his right hand firmly on Levi’s head though, his hands still softly tugging at Levi’s hair, gently guiding the motions of Levi’s head as he kept it bobbing up and down.

Levi kept Erwin’s cock in his hot wet mouth yet let go from playing with his balls, hands immediately finding Erwin’s thick thighs and exploring the flex of muscles. The sensation made him feel crazy. So he pulled his mouth away from Erwin’s member without warning to nip playfully at both of Erwin’s thighs, admiring how hard they feel under his small hands.

He nipped and sucked to his heart’s desire at any surface he could reach before Erwin pulled his hair back with a little force. Levi yelped at the sensation and he saw, for a split-second, the worried look on Erwin’s face. He smirked playfully at the taller man as he carried on playing with Erwin’s thighs.

“Levi, please.” The blond seemed desperate now.

“Please what?” Levi kept his hands still and shifted his knees closer to Erwin’s legs, wincing a little at the small pain he felt from kneeling on hard surface for too long.

“Please make me come inside your pretty, little mouth,” Erwin said, voice dangerously low, making Levi effectively forget the thought of his jeans touching the dirty bathroom floor. It made him feel even giddier.

As if Erwin said the magic words, Levi took the blond’s length into his mouth once again, and this time he took him all the way.

Erwin’s cock hit the back of his throat, and Levi kept still for a while, letting himself get used to the stretch of his mouth and the stinging sensation of taking the blond man’s girth whole. He busied himself by playing with Erwin’s balls, as the man’s hands grabbed his hair on reflex.

He slowly bobbed his head up and down, while his hands kept massaging even more gently at Erwin’s balls.

Levi knows there’s no point in edging Erwin because, admittedly, he wants to give Erwin what he wanted.

He wants to give so much pleasure to the man that he’d rather watch the man come, uncontrollably, undone, thrusting at his mouth as he spills his seed down Levi’s throat, rather than make him wait submissively.

Levi’s pace got faster now, impatiently bobbing his head, hollowing his cheeks, lapping at the underside of Erwin’s cock, sucking greedily, intensifying the wonderful sensation for Erwin through his motions.

He eagerly let Erwin move in accord with him, the taller man greedily tried thrusting his hips in time with Levi’s movements yet the sensation of Levi’s tight, hot and wet mouth caused him to fail miserably, creating such an uneven rhythm. Making such lewd sounds.

Erwin kept one hand tangling up Levi’s hair, while another was impatiently pushing Levi into his cock.

The raven-haired kept his eyes on the blond man, enjoying the way he looked, all fucked out and desperate, he felt pure ecstasy, lost in the pleasure of having Erwin’s entire length inside his small mouth, the sight of Erwin shutting his eyes and moaning loud. He reciprocated Erwin’s moans as well, letting out equally lewd sounds, though muffled, mouth filled full by Erwin’s huge cock.

Levi let himself shamelessly moan every time Erwin hit the back of his throat. He loved how they both seemed to not care about making any noise, with the faint sound of the crowded nightclub seeping through the soundproofed walls of the bathroom, barely masking their activity inside the stall.

The thought of anyone walking into the bathroom added to the thrill of it, Levi thought.

Levi’s hands and tongue moved deftly, and with the sounds his cock-stuffed mouth was making, Erwin could just come right then and there - fill up the small man’s pretty, little mouth.

He thrusted slowly at first, afraid he’d hurt the raven-haired. But as he pulled him by the hair, absentmindedly, just out of desperation to blow his load, the man only looked him straight in the eye and moaned in pleasure, satisfaction obviously displayed in his eyes. For a moment, Erwin felt like apologizing to Levi for his actions but it was difficult to say something sincere when Levi seemed to enjoy it.

Before Erwin knew it, he was already desperately rutting into Levi’s mouth.

Essentially fucking him hard, in his small, pretty fucking mouth, and Levi did not seem to mind as he now let both of his hands stop moving, staying steady to grip Erwin’s wrist as if urging Erwin to push him harder, thrust into him harder. He kept his grip strong on Levi’s hair, using it to hold Levi’s head in place for his cock.

Erwin shamelessly reveled in the choking wet sounds from Levi’s mouth coupled with Levi’s lewd moaning, gagging every time his length hit the back of his throat.

Levi kept his mouth obediently open and Erwin couldn’t help but moan and grunt at the breathtaking sight.

He was already a few thrusts away from a mind-blowing orgasm when the door to the bathroom opened, letting the noise from outside intensify for a moment before it disappeared with the soft thud of the door.

A person has entered the bathroom to urinate.

This didn’t stop Erwin from fucking Levi’s mouth though, but his motions went a little slower despite thrusting even harder.

Instead, he kept his left hand steadily guiding Levi’s small head to down his cock, while he brought his right hand to his mouth to stifle the sounds coming out of his mouth.

Levi didn’t look in the least bit bothered too and kept his eyes open, tried to not make so much noise with his mouth, shamelessly watching the blond go crazy above him. He kept his mouth wide open, obedient as Erwin kept thrusting into him slowly, senselessly.

Levi uncontrollably groaned at one particularly hard motion Erwin did, but thankfully, it was masked by another sound of new people entering the bathroom.

The bathroom was now filled with the sound of people inside, talking accompanied by the soft footsteps thudding, urinals flushing, and sink running.

Erwin felt that it only intensified the experience, and with one look in the greedy eyes of the man kneeling obediently in front of him, Erwin can say the same for Levi.

Erwin was biting his index finger now, thrusting still so fucking deep into Levi’s mouth.

“I’m gonna cum,” Erwin uttered with the quietest, breathy whisper he could muster.

Levi wrapped his arms around Erwin’s hips, taking the taller man’s huge cock deeper into his throat, and held him there as Erwin spilled his hot load down his throat.

Levi kept sucking greedily and swallowed all of Erwin’s seed, making the blond squirm, hands pulling his head back, but his rutting hips saying otherwise, which was deepening his thrust in Levi’s throat, causing him to gag.

In an attempt to conceal what they were doing from the people outside the bathroom stall, Levi reached for the flush handle of the toilet, the sound of water sloshing hopefully masking some of the lewd sounds Erwin was still making as he was coming down from his high.

Levi was watching Erwin intently, pleased at how intense the orgasm must have been for Erwin. The blond was trembling and the way he tried to catch his breath was enough for Levi to confirm that Erwin understood him.

Erwin helped him up and patted the bathroom floor dirt off his jeans.

They stared at each other in comfortable silence, as Levi studied the thoroughly fucked out look on his face and Erwin thumbed at his swollen lips. Levi gave Erwin a sweet smile, which Erwin returned with a chaste kiss.

The moment felt perfect enough to Levi that he didn’t think something else would escalate his feelings. It wasn’t until Erwin broke the silence between them that Levi realized Erwin, indeed, is something else.

“That was amazing. Thank you,” the blond whispered softly in his ear after pulling away from the kiss, hands gently carding through Levi’s sweaty hair, his actions resulted in a flustered Levi.

They waited for the people to exit the bathroom before getting out of the stall.

Levi was touched by how sweet Erwin’s actions, touches, were despite the explicit activity they had indulged in some moments ago.

The blond patiently waited for him as he washed his mouth in the bathroom sink.

“I-I’m sorry I didn’t. I. I’m-,“ The blond stuttered as he realized why Levi had the urge to wash his mouth.

Levi didn’t answer though, only pulled the taller man in a tight embrace. He was genuinely happy with everything that happened.

In the back of his mind, Levi realized he never really thought things through when he decided he’d confess to Erwin tonight. He wasn’t even sure if what Mike and Hange told him were true.

The best outcome in his mind was him kissing Erwin, and going home with Erwin’s phone number. He didn’t even know what he’d do if Erwin had chosen to reject him.

Resign from work?

Trash Erwin’s office?

Sue the unbelievably hot lawyer?

Levi’s unreasonable choices are endless but he’s glad that things turned out way differently than he had expected, better to say the least. He feels like he’s walking on cloud nine knowing that Erwin returned his feelings for him equally.

They stayed embracing each other tightly like that for a while. It was the most comfortable sensation Levi has ever felt.

“Wanna come over?” Erwin broke the comfortable silence once again.

“I would love to,” Levi replied.

The two could not control the blushes on their faces when they realized Mike, Nanaba, and Hange were waiting for them outside the bathroom.

Erwin couldn’t even look at their direction, only kept his head down.

Levi opened his mouth as if to say something, but Hange saved him from the embarrassment of making a silly excuse.

“Don’t tell us what happened. Just say you guys have sorted it through.” Hange said through a nervous laugh which earned a collective cackle from all of them.

“Yeah. It’s not like we didn’t hear what the people who just got out of the bathroom said,” Nanaba stated as a matter-of-factly.

“That and you guys smell different,” Mike said with a shit-eating grin, sniffing.

An awkward silence ensued among them before Levi broke it with a bratty retort of _Oh my god, drop it_. Before announcing to the others something that completely taken them all aback.

“I’m taking Erwin back to his apartment,” he said, but it felt more like flaunting than stating a fact.


	2. One Great Weekend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The blond and the raven-haired spending one great memorable weekend with one another after their dramatic love confession at a bathroom stall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I am happy you all liked the first chapter so I tried my best to finish this second one. I hope you all like this as well.
> 
> I will be updating probably every other week because I am currently busy with work and online classes so I hope you all understand.
> 
> If you want to talk to me just reach me through my Tumblr: intwistedsilence.tumblr.com
> 
> WARNING!!! I went all out with the smut because these dorks deserve to be happy with each other. So if you notice that the first few parts is purely self-indulgent smut, it is! Lol

On the Uber ride back to Erwin’s apartment, Levi expected the hot blond to run his hands all over him and kiss him until his lips were swollen. And that would have been enough, it would have been everything Levi could ever asked for.

Except he got something more, something better.

Erwin, sweet precious Erwin, asked Levi sweetly for permission if he could hold his hand during the ride. He knew he got red in the face and it took a lot out of him to say _“Anything you want,”_ without stuttering.

Then silence ensued between them and it was comfortable.

He felt his entire body go hot, jumpy, when the literal Greek god beside him took his hands - which were smaller than the blond’s and had far more calloused fingers because he plays guitar - and gave him the sweetest, purest smile. It made Levi feel a little bit embarrassed about giving Erwin a blowjob in the bathroom just not long ago.

The man was just so innocently wholesome he wonders if he did the right thing.

He knows, any other man would have taken him in the bathroom right then, left their number, and disappeared. Not that Levi did it a lot. He first heard his bandmate Eren talk about some guy sucking his dick and how Eren, after blowing his load, left his number to the stranger and disappeared. He remembers how all of their bandmates judged Eren for it but that was before Eren met his boyfriend Jean. Eren said that a lot of other people did that.

Levi was thankful that Erwin is not like those other people, and he’s even more thankful that the blond invited him over to his apartment.

If there’s anything Levi wanted to do, it’s to make it up to Erwin for all the shitty things he made the blond feel just because he was awkward as fuck.

Ever since he and Hange volunteered to be relocated in New York, Levi expected everything in his life to dull down.

It was his Uncle Kenny’s idea for the band to make New York their new base because Kenny racked up a huge deal with a New York-based label in the underground scene.

Last year, Levi thought he’d have to give up his job to pursue his music. But he simply could not bear to disappoint his mother, Kuchel. His mom wanted him to keep his job in case his band’s music does not sell well. And he knows his mother was speaking from experience because it was what happened to his good-for-nothing father who left his mother to pursue his _“music career”_ while she was 7 months pregnant.

The last time he heard about his own father was through the local news when he was 10. The man got tied up in an illegal drug operation to fund his band,and he and his bandmates got arrested.

Levi does not want to end up like his father. It was why, despite Kenny’s insistence that his band is doing well, he still went out of his way to volunteer himself, convincing Hange with him, to be relocated in New York in place of Marco Bott and Jean Kirstein, just to keep his job.

Farlan, Isabel, and Eren were already in New York by December of last year so it was pretty convenient. Though at the time, Levi admits that he wasn’t really as excited.

He loved Los Angeles.

It was where he grew up. On top of that, he had to leave his mother in the State. Kuchel was more than supportive when she found out Levi decided to keep his job but it was still different. It meant not seeing his mother on the weekends and he wasn’t ready for that. His mom, uncle, and his friends/bandmates were the only constant in his life.

Little did he know things would take a big turn in his life upon arriving in New York for the New Year. Specifically, meeting Erwin Smith, the hot, smart blond who happens to be a company lawyer - the best thing that ever happened to him since forever ago.

The man’s existence hit Levi differently and from the first moment he laid his eyes on him, Levi felt something else. Something deeper than the usual sexual attraction he felt with his past boyfriends.

He got to touch Erwin’s hand that fateful day during a formal handshake.

It was the company’s first meeting after New Year’s Day and Levi was unnerved to see unfamiliar faces at his new work setting. Although Hange was with him, his anxiety was still off the roof knowing that he and Hange had to make a good impression on everyone if they wished to survive New York, being people who lived in LA all their life.

_“Nice to meet you, Mr. Levi Ackerman. Please call me Erwin.”_ The blond said through a firm handshake, with the strongest eye contact Levi ever had to reciprocate.

Erwin’s eyes were so blue Levi could drown in it.

It was as if he could melt right then and there, and he had to hold his tongue because his monkey brain wanted him to say, “ _How about darling?”_

Levi had to reconsider his intrusive thoughts after the encounter. A small part of him wanted to fuck Erwin but the majority of his brain immediately jumped to conclusion of having a long-term relationship with the blond.

He believes that the latter imagination is mostly because before he left LA, his mother said in passing that maybe New York is where he’ll find his true love, his one and only love - the first person he’ll introduce to her and she’d like him right away.

Kuchel didn’t like all his past boyfriends and he’d never had a long-term one in the first place.

It didn’t help when his sexually charged friends convinced him to sleep with Erwin already. It was Hange who tried to talk him into inviting Erwin for a dinner or feigning friendliness by asking Erwin to show him around.

Levi couldn’t bring himself to do that, to befriend Erwin with a motive. Erwin just seems too wholesome to corrupt.

And it also didn’t help that as he got to know the people around the office, all he could ever hear were good things about the blond.

The man is so approachable, so helpful, and so kind apparently. Even Petra and Olou, his legal assistant and legal writer, could only attest to how perfect the multifaceted man is.

Erwin _fucking_ Smith was a known demon when it comes to corporate law and work ethics but the man was also an angel to all his workmates. He just doesn’t see his rank in the company as an excuse to treat everyone badly.

He learned, Erwin is the type to buy food for everyone just because. He’s the man who voiced every employee’s concern to the company’s board. And he’s helped a lot of the people around the office in his own little ways.

Levi also learned that the man was single, too, and never had any other relationship after his last long-term one didn’t end so well. Apparently, the woman cheated on him with a close friend of Erwin who also happened to work in the same company.

Almost everyone who knew Erwin wished for the blond to just find the right person already who would love him for the perfect man that he is.

That was why Levi did not know what to feel when earlier that night Mike, Nanaba, and Hange sat him down before the show. They told him everything about the blond and he felt his heart break when he found out he’d been making the blond feel like shit.

Levi made up his mind then - to do everything he can do it make it up, but it’s only if Erwin voluntarily came to the show.

He figured if Erwin refused then he clearly blew his chance with him.

Thankfully, the blond showed up and Levi, from that moment, decided he will never let him go. Not ever. He wants something else with the man and if Erwin allows him to, he’d see how far they’d both go.

When they entered the blond man’s penthouse apartment, Levi assumed he’d drop the act and let go of his hand to pin him to the wall and devour him. Not that it’d be bad. It’s just that he didn’t expect Erwin to pull him into a warm embrace.

Levi could only give in.

He wrapped his arms around Erwin’s warm body and breathed him in. As they pulled away, Erwin kept his eyes on him and looked like he was holding back on saying something.

There was something in the air and it made Levi’s heart beat out of his chest. Erwin though still kept his bright blue eyes on him and Levi could see that he was trying to look for something in his eyes, or maybe in his whole face. As if searching for an answer to an unspoken question.

“Erwin-” he tried to break the silence to which Erwin cut off by uttering his name in a smooth, warm tone.

“Levi, I don’t know how to tell you this.”

He felt himself break a little on the inside and figured Erwin had already made up his mind and that he regrets ever inviting Levi over.

Levi’s already used to rejection though. Of course, people only want him so much for a minute then change their mind.

He took a deep breath and looked down, averting from Erwin’s gaze. “I guess I’ll see myself out,” he managed to say firmly.

The blond man raised his eyebrows then said, “What I meant to say is that I’m- I am not, in any way, a one-night stand, Levi. So before we do anything tonight, I just want to let you know that I will want something more than this and right now I’m giving you a chance to walk away from me.”

Levi lifted his head up to meet the man’s gaze again and all he saw was hopefulness and, at the same time, an unbearable amount of worry, at this point Levi’s pretty sure his heart already exploded. He bit his lip, dumbfounded that he ever thought Erwin would ask him to go home and forget about everything because the man didn’t like him like he thought he did. Yet as turns out, he was wrong. The man liked him and it’s as if he liked Levi in the same level that Levi does.

“Levi-“

He interrupted the blond by grabbing him down to his level and connecting their lips once again. This time, Levi took his time dancing around Erwin’s luscious lips before playfully nipping at it and pulling away.

“They all said you’re the smartest man ever but I beg to disagree. I wouldn’t confess my feelings for you, suck your dick at a bathroom stall then agree to go home with you if all I ever wanted was a one-night stand. I am not that kinda guy,” he explained, rolling his eyes at the blond once he got everything out of his chest.

Then, as if he said the magic words, the worried look on the beautiful blond man’s face faded. It was replaced with the sweetest smile to ever grace his beautiful god-like features.

Levi didn’t know how it was possible but the man’s demeanor changed in an instant. Erwin was the one to initiate the kiss now and it felt as if the blond was trying to quell his hunger.

It was intense.

Before Levi knew it, they were already in Erwin’s bedroom and the blond was slowly taking his clothes off. The blond man was on top of him as they kissed as if their life depended on it, grinding their bodies together, and feeling both their hardness down below.

Levi hyper focused on everything Erwin did but out of nowhere he remembered something that made him feel embarrassed.

Erwin had just taken his shirt off when the thought hit him. He froze for a split second but the blond was so attentive he stopped nipping at his neck to look at the raven-haired man in the face.

“If you don’t want to do this, that’s fine, too,” Erwin said, placing a chaste kiss on his forehead.

“N-No. I-“ Levi averted his gaze.

Erwin cupped his face to make their eyes meet. “You can tell me everything.”

Levi bit his lip and debated inside his mind on whether or not he should tell Erwin what was bothering him. He decided not to until he identified the look on the blond’s face again. It was the look of worry.

He hated making Erwin worry.

Levi sighed, “I, well, I smell like sweat.”

He expected the blond man to bolt up and ask him to take a shower or that he’d lash out and say he killed the mood but Erwin only had an amused twisted look on his face now, brows furrowed, accompanied by a cheeky smirk.

“And?”

“Well, we’re gonna, uhh, we’re gonna have sex and you might not appreciate that I’m filthy.” Levi could feel his face getting hot out of embarrassment. This was the first time he ever admitted that he feels dirty.

He was always clean. And it’s only after shows where he genuinely feels dirty. He usually takes a shower after every show but tonight was different. He never thought he’d end up on Erwin’s bed tonight. Hell, he never thought he’d even be doing this with Erwin ever.

The blond let out a lighthearted chuckle. It was Levi’s turn to raise his eyebrows.

“I’m serious.”

“Well, I am too. And I honestly am very surprised that you consider yourself dirty right now. The way you smell worked me up. You have no idea how you’re driving me so crazy right now. Your smell is so intoxicating... I promise you we will take a shower together. Later though. I like you this way but if you’re uncomfortable then I can wait. The bathroom’s just right there,” there was no hint of disappointment in Erwin’s tone. Levi could only identify fondness in his words. This caused his face to get even hotter, he’s so embarrassed yet flattered at Erwin’s words.

Erwin drives him crazy, too. The man just says all the right things that it makes Levi just want to forget about being filthy.

“I see why you’re a successful lawyer,” he teased, but the effect of his teasing affected him more because he’s getting even harder than he thought was possible.

Erwin pouted at him. “I love it when I make you blush,” the blond had a confident tone in his voice now as he slowly grinded his clothed body to Levi’s half-naked one.

“ _Tch_ ,” was all that Levi managed to say.

They devoured each other once again.

Erwin’s soft lips was moving painfully slow on Levi’s skin, nibbling gently and sucking softly at Levi’s flesh as he moved down his body.

He lingered for a while at Levi’s pierced nipples - curiously tweaking to see the effect it had on Levi and let out a pleased sound when he realized it gave Levi great pleasure. He then slowly took off Levi’s pants, palming with his right hand Levi’s excited member through his boxers.

Erwin kept playfully nipping and licking at both his nipples all the while tweaking the metal attached to it with his left hand. When the blond seemed content enough about giving Levi’s chest attention, he moved further down his torso, leaving open-mouthed kisses until reaching Levi’s small hips.

Levi couldn’t help but trail his eyes at the blond, his body squirming beneath him, eager for any contact he can get with Erwin’s warm and muscular body on top of him.

The blond looked at him with such an intense gaze through his bright, blue orbs as he slowly removed his boxers. Erwin wasted no time in taking Levi’s hardened cock in his hands. Then he slowly brought his head down to where Levi’s cock was standing and blew hot air at his soaking wet tip.

Levi moaned, “Erwin, you’re so unfair.”

The blond chuckled.

“Why?” He asked in a low voice, as if growling, as he playfully lapped at Levi’s tip while keeping his hands busy, gently caressing Levi’s balls and thighs.

“You’re not naked yet-“

“So impatient,” Erwin teased as pulled away and took his sweatshirt off in one fluid motion, his toned body looked surreal up close but Levi didn’t get to study it for long because the blond man immediately assumed his previous position between Levi’s thighs.

Levi yelped when Erwin wrapped his mouth around his length without warning. The look on Erwin’s eyes was mischievous, amused.

Levi couldn’t help but moan as he welcomed the sensation of Erwin’s hot, wet mouth on his dick. He tried to restrain himself from locking Erwin’s head between his thighs by keeping his hands busy carding gently through Erwin’s golden locks.

The blond was letting out sounds he could only identify as pleasure, mouth vibrating on his member. It didn’t take long for the blond to slowly bob his head up and down Levi’s entire length, all the while massaging his balls.

Levi kept his eyes on him, moaning shamelessly at the sensation Erwin’s talented mouth was giving him, and Erwin looked like he was enjoying himself as much as Levi did.

“I don’t wanna cum like this,” Levi caught himself saying before he could stop his mouth.

The blond stopped moving on his cock but kept his mouth around it.

“Hmmm?” Erwin let out a sound Levi identified as a question. The vibration made him wince.

“I want to feel you.”

Erwin released Levi’s member from his mouth with a loud pop before saying, “you already are feeling me,” as he wiped his wet lips with his right hand.

“I want to feel you inside of me, Erwin.” He managed to say breathlessly.

Erwin gave him a sweet yet sly smile as his firm hands slowly moved down from Levi’s balls to his entrance, his thumbs gently massaging the outer part of the tight ring of muscle there. Slowly, he brought his right hand to his mouth, heavy-lidded eyes never leaving Levi’s face and licked at it, putting on quite a show for Levi.

When he felt that he’d done enough, he brought it down once again to Levi’s entrance. Levi took a deep breath as Erwin dragged the wetness from his mouth down to his intimate part, biting his lip and bracing himself for an intrusion brought about by Erwin’s fingers. But the blond only dipped his head down between his thighs and placed one long circling lick around his hole, deep blue eyes watching him intently.

Surprised, Levi found himself moaning at the unexpected gesture yet, like a reflex, he grabbed at Erwin’s hair as if he wanted him to stop.

A part of him feels icky at Erwin’s action but his entire body welcomes the wonderful sensation of Erwin’s wet tongue down there.

“Erwin, I told you I-“

“You taste so fucking good,” the blond said in a low voice it almost sounded like a growl. The words automatically connected to Levi’s twitching hole that he managed to only moan as a reply.

Erwin resumed what he was doing, licking painfully slow around the tight ring of muscle before slowly pushing it into Levi’s hole. Levi can feel himself having little to no resistance as Erwin’s hands left gentle caresses at all the right places he could reach.

Erwin wanted to drag it on, he knew his tongue was doing wonders to the raven-haired man despite him looking like he wanted to push off Erwin away a while ago. He kept a slow and steady pace, too, watching Levi intently and looking for signs of discomfort and pleasure. So far, Erwin noted that when he pushes his tongue in a certain motion inside of Levi, the smaller man lets out a cry he could only describe as raw pleasure. And so he decided to lick harder at a slower pace.

Before he knew it, Levi was already a blabbering mess above him, huffing, moaning, slack-jawed and drooling adorably while he grabbed at Erwin’s hair as if he was holding on for dear life. The sight just connects directly to Erwin’s dick, he was already painfully hard but it throbs every time Levi lets out a beautiful sound.

It seemed that the raven-haired angel cannot keep his eyes on him for too long though for he kept averting his gaze every time Erwin licked harder.

Levi cannot keep his eyes on Erwin as the blond’s unbelievably skillful tongue licked his twitching hole intently. He wasn’t even touching Levi’s throbbing cock and only kept his hands kneading gently at the mounds of his backside.

It took everything out of him to say something.

“Erwin, please put it in,” he begged but it sounded more of like a helpless cry.

The blond gave had a mischievous look in his eyes before he pulled away, a slick wet line of saliva evident on his lips to where it had been. The line disappeared when he licked at his lips and Levi groaned at the sight of it.

“Can you please get the lube and condoms from drawer on the nightstand while I undress?” Erwin asked him in a soft tone.

Levi was taken aback at how the man managed to arouse him intensely yet at the same time maintained such a calm, soft demeanor to him to the point of gently asking him to get the lube and condoms.

For him, it was so hot and sweet at the same time.

It must have taken him too long to respond to Erwin’s requested because the look on the blond’s face softened a little despite his intense arousal.

“On it!” He hurriedly said before the blond could open his mouth to say something.

Levi used both his arms to balance his upper body up then twisted a little to reach the nightstand. When he finally got what he needed, he returned to his original position and handed it to the already naked blond.

He chuckled when he realized that Erwin didn’t take long to take off his pants. His angry cock already standing proud. Levi took a minute to let the beautiful image of Erwin sink into his mind. It was like air was being knocked out of his lungs.

“Someone’s fast,” he quipped when he regained composure. Erwin replied with a low chuckle.

The taller man opened the lube and squeezed a sizable amount on his right hand and squeezed some more down Levi’s balls, letting the cold fluid drip slowly down to Levi’s entrance. Levi winced at the unbelievably pleasurable yet cruel gesture.

Erwin only smirked playfully at him.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” Erwin said in a dangerously low voice. “Can I open you up?” He added breathlessly.

Levi was flustered for what felt like the hundredth time once again at Erwin’s words that he nodded hurriedly before vocalizing his desire. “Fuck yes,” he chuckled, heart pounding through his chest as his dick throbbed and his hole twitched painfully.

“Fuck, you’re gonna be the death of me.” The blond whispered as he slowly breached Levi’s entrance with his index finger.

The raven-haired man was a sight to behold as Erwin worked his fingers slowly inside his tight, warm hole. Levi went from adorably huffing to moaning uncontrollably as he added one more finger, gently scissoring his entrance which he could feel had little to no resistance already. When he finally put three fingers in, Levi eyes rolled in the back of his head and let out a sound that he could only describe as a cross between a whine and a moan. It was like music to his ears.

“So, so beautiful,” was all that Erwin managed to say. He could feel his dick quivering at this point.

“I think I’m ready,” Levi managed to say as his hands reached for Erwin’s arms, as if signaling him to stop. Erwin complied and slowly removed his hands from Levi’s twitching hole.

He immediately reached for the lube and the condoms he set down the mattress but the man stopped him by the wrist when he tried to open the condom wrappers.

“I recently got tested so I’m clean,” Levi told him breathlessly, “What about you?” The smaller man added with a sly smirk.

“Oh,” Erwin felt blood rising to his face when he understood what Levi was implying.

“I mean, if it’s alright with you. It’s just that I wanna feel your huge cock messing me up on the inside,” Levi’s voice was seductive now.

It was Erwin’s time to get flustered now as he tried to find the courage to be honest with Levi.

“I-I have been single for so long that I can swear to you right now that I am, in fact, clean,” he managed to say in monotone.

Levi’s eyes widened at his confession. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something to console him before breaking the silence by chuckling a little. Erwin can feel his embarrassment get more intense that he averted his gaze from Levi. The raven-haired man only grabbed his face with both his hands to make their eyes meet.

“It’s just that you ate my ass so fucking well I was pretty sure your fine ass got laid a lot,” Levi explained.

It was Erwin’s turn now to chuckle at Levi’s bluntness.

They both stared intensely at each other as Erwin - with his irises blown wide open -slowly entered him, Levi could only bite his lip at the sight of Erwin, the blond’s mouth slightly parted and brows furrowed in concentration, as Levi welcomed the sensation of Erwin’s cock, stretching his ring of muscle wonderfully.

When the blond buried his lubed cock to the hilt inside Levi’s ass, he let out the hottest groan Levi has ever heard and Levi couldn’t help but moan like crazy at the sensation of Erwin inside of him.

The man stayed still inside of him for a moment to let him adjust to the stretch.

“Kiss me,” Levi demanded greedily despite knowing all too well where the blond’s mouth had been. Erwin hesitated for a moment but complied anyway when he saw the encouraging look Levi tried to give him, immediately connecting their lips together.

Erwin still tasted as sweet as he was but it was now laced with the faint taste which Levi knew was of himself.

The blond moved inside of him, slowly and gently.

Levi shamelessly moaned as his hips met with the blond’s and Erwin matched it with grunts every time he pushed his cock inside of Levi.

Erwin clearly knew what he was doing, Levi noted, despite being single for so long because for every thrust he’s sure that the blond calculated his reactions - he probably realized Levi’s moans got louder every time his cock touched a certain part inside him.

The blond, attentive as ever, then angled himself to target Levi’s sweet spot every time he thrusted into Levi’s wet hole and kept his mouth busy with Levi’s own, muffling the smaller man’s cries of pleasure.

Erwin kept the pace slow but harder with every thrust.

“You’re sucking me right in. You feel so fucking great and warm inside, Levi.” Erwin managed to tell the mess of a raven-haired man beneath him as he kept thrusting into him. He angled himself once again to hit Levi’s sweet spot directly and this earned him a yelp from the smaller man.

Levi’s eyes were rolling in the back of his head and he was a drooling mess underneath him. It was a sight to behold for Erwin.

“You’re. So. Beautiful.” Erwin emphasized in between hard thrusts, pace steady and slow. The man’s tight, wet heat was driving him crazy.

Erwin _Fucking_ Smith robbed Levi the ability to speak.

Levi didn’t know it was possible to be speechless while he was being fucked by such a beautiful man. He was usually vocal during sex but all he could ever manage right now was to just moan helplessly underneath the blond as the man took his time thrusting into him. He didn’t even have to say where it felt good because Erwin seemed to know where exactly he felt good already. Every move Erwin made drove him unbelievably crazy and his dripping cock could attest to that.

He loved how Erwin seemed to take his time, too. Maintaining a slow and steady pace yet managing to thrust harder and hit his sweet spot every time he pushed his magnificent cock inside of him. Levi met his thrusts with the same enthusiasm and it only intensified the already mind-blowing pleasure Erwin was giving him. Erwin’s occasionally grunts and groans every time he felt Levi clench around him and it was enough to make Levi want to cum.

Erwin was fucking him so good he might as well just pass out. The blond seemed hyper aware of how good he’s giving it to him too as he reached between them to pump Levi’s cock in time with his thrusts. The pleasure was so overwhelming that Levi found himself scratching Erwin’s back.

“F-Faster,” Levi croaked out after a particularly hard thrust.

The blond found Levi’s mouth again as he slammed himself faster, as the smaller man requested. Matching the pace with his hands around Levi’s cock.

Levi can feel himself getting closer to his climax.

“I’m close,” the raven-haired man moaned. It was like music to Erwin’s ears.

He can feel himself getting close too as his thrusts started to falter. His pumps on Levi’s cock as well seemed to quicken not out of his own volition but by his instinct.

Levi was clenching around him more after every thrusts and he knows what the raven-haired man said was true, it was evident that Levi cannot hold it in any longer, the same as him.

“Let us cum together,” Erwin managed to say breathlessly as he picked up his pace.

Erwin’s thrust became shallow, his groans even louder than before, and Levi can feel the pressure building up inside his abdomen as Erwin kept pumping on his hard member.

Levi could tell that he was on the verge of spilling his seed.

“Come inside of me,” Levi whispered into his ears as the raven-haired allowed himself to release the pressure all pent up inside of him.

“Erwin!” Levi screamed his name as his body shuddered violently underneath the man, spilling his warm cum.

Erwin kept pumping his cock, coaxing every last bit of Levi’s arousal - cum spurting out of his overstimulated dick as he kept screaming Erwin’s name, dirtying not just Erwin’s hands but his abdomen as well, shivering and moaning helplessly at the wonderful sensation.

Levi could feel Erwin follow suit after he came. With his name on Erwin’s mouth, the blond man’s hips faltered for one last time before he buried himself deeper inside of Levi and stayed still, shuddering violently and groaning so loud it almost made Levi hard once again. Levi could feel Erwin’s warmth spread deep inside of him and he loved every bit of the sensation.

Erwin connected their lips once again but this time, instead of the labored actions they shared not so long ago, the kiss was slow and soft despite the both of them being breathless.

Not long after, Erwin slowly pulled out of him and dropped his warm body beside Levi.

“That was amazing,” the blond chuckled breathlessly to which Levi replied with a contented smile.

“You were amazing,” he corrected Erwin.

They both lay beside each other while coming down from their highs before Erwin broke the silence.

“I think this calls for a bath,” the blond said as he got out of the bed and stood up, bee lining for the bathroom, “be right back once it’s ready,” he added.

Levi could hear the water running in the bathroom before Erwin emerged out of the bathroom door.

“It’s ready,” the blond said with a smile.

“Be right there,” Levi replied, gathering all his strength to get out of bed and stand up but failing miserably when he realized his limbs were too weak to move, his legs felt like jelly.

A warm wet sensation dripped down his thighs before he could even muster to say something to Erwin.

The blond remained at the door and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“My legs feel like they’re about to give out and your cum is dripping out of my asshole,” he explained in monotone, earning a playful laugh from Erwin.

“God, I love how blunt you are. So sexy,” the blond told him as he walked to where Levi was standing beside the bed. “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you,” Erwin added.

Levi felt his face go hot and he was pretty sure he was about to pass out once again when the blond scooped him up and carried him bridal style to the bathroom.

They fucked for the second time on the bathtub with Levi on top of Erwin. They went from innocently washing each other’s body and talking about where they were headed to practically devouring each other once again right after Erwin proudly called Levi his hot boyfriend. The raven-haired uttered the word _babe_ referring to Erwin before he positioned himself on top of the blond man and practically fucked the taller man beneath him, or rather Levi fucked himself on Erwin’s dick after he heard all the right words from the blond.

They both came with each other’s name on their mouths once again.

That night, they fell asleep soundly, cuddling each other. Levi, wearing Erwin’s comfortably oversized grey hoodie and gym shorts, was the big spoon nuzzling Erwin, the little spoon clad in his favorite blue plaid pajamas.

Erwin woke up to an empty bed that morning. Slightly panicking at the sight of a bunched up sheets beside him instead of Levi’s warm, petite body. He couldn’t help but feel a little scared. Conjuring up unpleasant scenarios in the back of his mind, all boiling down to the same conclusion: _maybe Levi woke up and regretted everything._

It wasn’t until he heard the sound of footsteps and Levi’s warm voice right outside the bedroom, although it was accompanied by another familiar voice that wasn’t Levi’s.

He cleaned himself in the bathroom and put on his shirt and boxers before getting out of the bedroom to check on Levi to see what’s up.

“Babe?” He called for Levi, feeling butterflies in his stomach when he remembered how Levi was the first one to use the term on him after Erwin asked him out on a formal date and referred to him as his hot boyfriend.

“In the kitchen,” the raven-haired replied.

As Erwin got closer to the kitchen, he could hear a faint conversation going on, Levi’s voice was warm and sweet. When he heard the unmistakable chuckle of his father, he stopped dead in his tracks before reaching the doorway to the kitchen. He peeked his head a little bit to confirm his deduction.

“Ah, speaking of the devil!” His father exclaimed upon seeing his face.

Levi had his back to the doorway and his father sat across him on the kitchen table.

The raven-haired man still wore his oversized hoodie and gym shorts. Levi turned to look at him and gave him a sweet smile.

“Good mornin’, babe. Your dad bought us chocolate muffins,” Levi said in a cheerful voice.

“Good morning,” Erwin felt his face go hot upon hearing Levi address him as _babe._ “Hi, dad,” he added.

Erwin couldn’t help but notice how his face lightened up at the sight of him. He walked over to them slowly, placing a gentle kiss on Levi’s forehead before walking over to his dad to kiss him on the cheeks.

“Just popped by to check in on you,” his dad explained before he could even ask, “but I’m glad you’re in Levi’s care. I took the liberty of inviting you and him for dinner tonight. I hope you don’t mind,” his old man added cheerfully.

“I already said yes for us,” Levi chuckled which earned an affirming laughter from his dad.

“I trust you’d talk some sense into my son if one day he declines my invitations,” his dad quipped earning a laughter from Levi.

Erwin was amazed that his dad and Levi seemed to have built rapport with each other already.

“Anyway, I won’t be long. I’m getting back to my hotel to rest for a while and I’ll see you boys tonight. Goodbye,” his father stood up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

“I’ll walk you out then,” Erwin offered to which his father thanked him for.

“Goodbye, Levi.”

“Goodbye, Era.”

Erwin was taken aback upon hearing Levi addressed his father by his nickname and he sure as hell didn’t expect his father to kiss Levi on the cheeks, too.

As he walked his father to the door, he heard his old man say something he’s never heard him say about his ex before.

“I like Levi.”

“How?” Was all Erwin managed to say when he entered the kitchen again as Levi busily stirred on a mug.

“I woke up early because I wanted to cook us breakfast but your dad knocked on the door before I could begin so I let him in. We had a nice talk for quite a while. And I decided on not cooking anything because he brought muffins.”

“How long was he here?”

“Dunno. Maybe an hour?” Levi replied nonchalantly, “Coffee?” He asked as he handed the hot mug to Erwin.

Erwin took the mug from his hands and took a sip. He can’t quite decipher why he feels a bit nervous especially at Levi’s calm demeanor.

“What do you think should we pair with the muffins? You have some yogurt and blueberries in the fridge.” Levi asked him.

“Are you not freaked out at all?” Erwin blurted.

“Freaked out over what?” Levi furrowed his brows.

“I dunno. Perhaps about my dad showing up?”

“Are you freaked out?” Levi returned his own question to him.

“No.”

“Then why are you asking me that?” Levi asked him again as he took out the blueberries and yogurt from the fridge then some bowls from his kitchen cabinet to put the yogurt and berries in – Erwin took a mental note that Levi had already mapped his entire kitchen when he woke up before him.

“I hope you don’t mind me taking some earl grey tea from your pantry. I don’t like coffee.” The raven-haired stated.

Everything just felt so comfortably right and domestic with Levi it’s surreal.

It took Erwin a while to realize why he was being weird about his dad and Levi meeting for the first time. His ex hated seeing his sweet old man.

“Sup, babe?” Levi had a worried look on his face now as he placed the yogurt bowls on the table.

“Nothing,” Erwin averted his gazed but Levi kept eyes on him as if he could tell Erwin was not being honest.

“My ex hated it when my dad was around,” he finally settled to telling Levi the truth.

“Oh,” Levi sighed, “that’s what Era said, too. The sweet man frantically apologized to me when he saw me as I opened the door for him. I had to explain to him that he doesn’t have to because I am your boyfriend, and well, boyfriends are sort of like an extension of one’s family or something, right?” The petite man explained in a light manner.

“You have no idea how happy that makes me feel,” Erwin told him.

“Your dad is a sweet man, Erwin. Any person who won’t like him is an irredeemable piece of sorry fuck.” Levi clarified.

Erwin could not agree more to Levi’s statement. Indeed, his father was a sweet man and he could not fathom how some people could not like his dad. He felt elevated at Levi’s statement.

Erwin is still awestruck at the fact that Levi took so little time to establish a deep connection with his father.

The raven-haired man knew exactly how to flatter his sweet old man and tell him all the right things. Levi did it effortlessly, too.

They had dinner at his favorite restaurant that night and his father suggested they watch a movie afterward.

He never heard Levi protest throughout the night and he can say the same for his father.

By the end of the night, he could tell that both Levi and his dad very much enjoyed one another’s company Erwin couldn’t help but feel like the third wheel.

“We had a lot of fun with you, Era. I’m sad that you have to go so soon,” Levi remarked as they walked his dad to the hotel entrance.

“Oh, well, I would really love it if you both visit me at my beach house this summer. I had a lot of fun with you, too, Levi!” His father said fondly.

“I can’t wait!” Levi excitedly huffed that Erwin couldn’t help but feel warm on the inside.

“Goodbye, Dad. Are you sure you don’t want me to drive you to the airport?” Erwin asked his father.

“Dot Pixis and his wife will be picking me up. We have some business matters to discuss tomorrow so he volunteered to drive me to the airport in the afternoon.” Era assured his son. “Don’t worry about me, son. Your old man can manage. Just wanna let you know I’m happy to see you happy like this.”

Erwin’s heart fluttered at his father’s honesty and as he turned to Levi he noticed how the raven-haired man’s fair complexion was dusted with a light pink on his cheeks, too.

They said their goodbyes before dropping by at Levi’s place to pick up extra clothes and essentials then headed back to Erwin’s apartment.

Levi promised to tag Era on his Facebook post later and Levi kept to his word. He posted the picture of the food on their plates during dinner that night and a group picture of the three of them to which they asked their nice waiter to take.

It was captioned: _Dinner with boyfie and his dad #blessed_

Both Erwin and his father were tagged.

Erwin made sweet love to Levi that night to show gratitude at how understanding and caring the petite man is. He just wants Levi to clearly understand that he appreciates him deeply.

They both came screaming each other’s name.

In the afterglow, Levi said something to Erwin that he never expected the raven-haired to inquire about nonchalantly.

“For someone who never got laid for so long, you have quite a lot of condoms and lube.”

Erwin giggled at Levi’s bluntness. He can’t help but feel giddy that the raven-haired man knows what’s up without actually saying it. Levi implying that he knows Erwin plays with himself and uses a condom to minimize clean up afterwards just makes Erwin feel so naughty.

He wants to fill the raven-haired man with thoughts of him doing filthy things to his own body during his alone times.

Levi all but narrowed his eyes at him. “Where do you hide all your sex toys, Erwin?” His tone was more teasing than accusatory.

“If you find them then you’re free to do whatever you please with me.” Erwin replied but it sounded more of a plea than a challenge.

Levi never thought his life could change drastically with one weekend. One great weekend with such an amazing man like Erwin.

They woke up late on Sunday morning and decided on going out to get some brunch. Afterwards, they lazily strolled the streets, Erwin enthusiastically showing him around.

The blond seemed to do a lot of things by himself because he mostly showed Levi places he enjoyed in solitude.

There was the one small bookstore Erwin frequented a lot that the staffs recognized him upon entering the place. A small cafe Erwin loved so much because the served the best hot cocoa. A Thai restaurant Erwin always ordered take-out from. As well as other random places he knew were of significance to the blond.

Levi felt great that Erwin was voluntarily showing him parts of his life.

For the entire afternoon, they sat at a park bench Erwin said was his usual spot and talked about everything - Erwin sharing parts of his life and Levi doing the same.

It felt natural.

That night, they invited Hange, Mike, and Nana over for pizza. The couple was thankful for the friendly intervention the three orchestrated between them and they could only do so much.

Erwin was thankful that Mike and Nana didn’t intrude on their weekend and only texted him to say that they can’t wait to hear about Levi once they figured everything out.

Levi, on the other hand, could not say the same for Hange. They just had their own little way of showing support to their best friend. Over the weekend, Hange bombarded Levi with texts and when Levi posted the picture with Erwin and his dad during dinner, Hange was the one to react and comment first.

Understandably so, Levi ignored their eccentric friend and only invited them over to Erwin’s apartment, with Erwin’s permission of course, when the blond told him he was going to invite Nana and Mike if he was fine with it.

They all shared New York pizza and craft beers as they watched some random Netflix movie.

The night ended with the couple seeing their friends out of Erwin’s apartment with huge smiles on their faces.

Levi could still not process how lucky he is. Here he was sleeping beside the most beautiful man to ever exist in the world and he could proudly call him his boyfriend.

Erwin, his boyfriend, who he just had one great weekend with and who he knew he’d have more great weekends with to come.

He simply could not wait for his mom to meet the blond.

To Erwin, it all still felt surreal. The petite body which belonged to Levi curled up beside him in his bed. Levi, despite being so small, had a way of taking up Erwin’s space and Erwin welcomes it lovingly rather than complain.

Everything about Levi was addicting to him, especially Levi’s smell which just drove him so damn crazy.

They fell asleep with their arms wrapped around each other as the smaller man nuzzled him. And Erwin couldn’t be any more thankful.

Erwin feels more than ecstatic because he knows this won’t be the last time and that he’d be going home with someone, to someone- with Levi, to Levi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will be updating every other week. I hope you stay tuned to see where this love story is going!
> 
> This story might have 5 or 6 chapters all in all.
> 
> Once again, thank you for your support It motivates me to write even more.
> 
> Tumblr: intwistedsilence.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> hmu on tumblr: intwistedsilence.tumblr.com


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